Flora of North America species comparison

1–few-branched from base, 50–80(–100) cm.

central stem usually erect, usually thickened at base and spongy, branched or unbranched, branches few–several, slender, decumbent to ascending, from base, usually encircling central stem in older plants, 10–40(–100) cm.

in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 4–18 × 1.5–4 cm, blade very narrowly elliptic, lanceolate, or oblanceolate;

cauline 5–13 × 1–4 cm, blade narrowly elliptic, narrowly lanceolate, or narrowly oblanceolate, margins subentire or repand-denticulate.

in a basal rosette and cauline, rosette usually well developed (except subsp. howellii), basal 5–25 × 1–5 cm, cauline 4–12(–18) × 0.5–4 cm;

petiole 1.5–8 cm;

blade rhombic-obovate, lanceolate, or oblanceolate, margins subentire, dentate, or pinnatifid.

4-merous, zygomorphic, opening at sunset;

floral tube 8–12 mm;

sepals 9.5–13 mm;

petals white, fading pink, rhombic-obovate, 7–12 mm;

filaments 6.5–9 mm, anthers 2.5–4 mm, pollen 90–100% fertile;

style 19–25 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

1–several opening per day near sunset;

buds nodding, weakly or strongly quadrangular or fluted in distal 1/2, with free tips 0–9 mm;

floral tube 20–40 mm;

sepals (13–)15–35 mm, not spotted;

petals white, fading pink to deep pink, broadly obovate or obcordate, 15–44 mm;

filaments 8–15 mm, anthers 5–14 mm;

style 35–60 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

ellipsoid or ovoid, sharply 4-angled, with fairly deep furrows alternating with angles, 6–8.5 × 2–3 mm;

sessile.

spreading, straight to curved, becoming somewhat woody in age, cylindrical to slightly 4-angled, widest toward base, tapering from base to apex, (15–)30–80 × 1.5–5 mm;

sessile.

1–4, yellowish to light brown, 2–3 × 1 mm.

numerous, in 1 row per locule, buff with dark spots or black, narrowly obovoid, 1.5–2.8 mm.

= 14.