Flora of North America species comparison

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.

erect or ascending, unbranched or branched, 30–60 cm.

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.

in a basal rosette and cauline, rosette weakly developed or absent, at least during flowering, 3–9 × (0.6–)1–2.5 cm;

petiole 0–2 cm;

blade oblong to lanceolate or narrowly ovate, margins irregularly sinuate-dentate.

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.

1–several opening per day near sunset;

buds nodding, weakly quadrangular, with free tips 0.5–4 mm;

floral tube 30–50 mm;

sepals 20–30 mm, not spotted;

petals white, fading pink, broadly obovate, 20–30 mm;

filaments 10–15 mm, anthers 8–15 mm;

style 50–70 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

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.

erect or strongly ascending, not woody, straight or slightly curved, subcylindrical, obtusely 4-angled, tapering gradually from base to apex, 20–30 × 2–3 mm;

sessile.

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

numerous, in 1 row per locule, dark brown, narrowly obovoid, 1.5 mm.

= 14.