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.

(when present) ascending, 1–several, densely leafy, 0–20 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, sometimes also cauline, (2.5–)6–25(–32) × (0.6–)1.5–4(–5) cm, thin;

petiole (0.5–)1–8 cm;

blade oblanceolate to elliptic, margins irregularly pinnatifid, sometimes subentire, apex acute to obtuse or rounded.

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.

1–4 opening per day near sunset, without noticeable scent;

buds with subequal free tips 2–7 mm;

floral tube (20–)28–95(–138) mm;

sepals (6–)10–30(–35) mm;

petals pale yellow, fading pale orange, drying lavender, (10–)12–30(–38) mm;

filaments (5–)8–15(–18) mm, anthers (3.5–)4–11 mm;

style (3.4–)4.2–11.5(–16.3) mm, stigma usually surrounded by anthers, sometimes (especially in some Texas populations) exserted beyond anthers.

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.

woody in age, rhombic-obovoid, winged, wings broadly triangular, 5–10 mm wide, often terminating in a hooked tooth, (10–)15–25(–28) × 4–8 mm (excluding wings), valve surface reticulate, dehiscent 1/8–1/3 their length.

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

asymmetrically cuneiform, (2.1–)2.5–3(–3.3) mm.

= 14.