Flora of North America species comparison

(when present) ascending, 1–several, usually densely leafy, 0–2 cm.

erect, red on proximal parts, green on distal ones, rarely red throughout, unbranched or with branches obliquely arising from rosette and secondary branches arising from main stem, 30–200 cm.

primarily in a basal rosette, (3.4–)6–30(–36) × (0.5–)1.5–5(–7) cm, flexible, sometimes ± fleshy;

petiole (0.2–)2–7(–10) cm;

blade oblanceolate to linear, margins usually irregularly and coarsely pinnately lobed, rarely subentire, apex acute.

in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 10–32 × 3–7 cm, cauline 6–20 × 2–8 cm;

blade green to pale green, narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, or narrowly elliptic, sometimes lanceolate distally, margins usually flat, rarely undulate, bluntly dentate, teeth widely spaced, sometimes sinuate-dentate proximally;

bracts caducous.

erect, unbranched or with secondary branches just proximal to main one.

1–4 opening per day near sunset;

buds with free tips (1–)2–10(–12) mm;

floral tube (24–)40–200(–265) mm;

sepals (8–)11–40(–42) mm;

petals bright yellow, sometimes paler (in smaller-flowered plants), fading pale orange, drying purple, (7–)10–45(–50) mm;

filaments (5–)8–23(–26) mm, anthers (2–)3–13(–16) mm;

style (40–)50–250(–290) mm, stigma exserted beyond or surrounded by ring of anthers.

opening near sunset;

buds erect, 4–6 mm diam., with free tips terminal, erect, 1.5–6 mm;

floral tube 30–43 mm;

sepals yellowish green or flushed with red, 10–23 mm;

petals yellow to pale yellow, fading pale yellowish white, very broadly obcordate, 14–25(–30) mm;

filaments 10–25 mm, anthers 4–10 mm, pollen ca. 50% fertile;

style 35–63 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis.

leathery in age, surface usually conspicuously reticulate, usually narrowly ovoid or ellipsoid, sometimes ovoid or lanceoloid, winged, wings narrowly oblong, (2–)3–5(–6) mm wide, confined to distal 2/3 of capsule, (10–)20–35(–43) × 4–8 mm (excluding wings), gradually constricted to a short beak, dehiscent 1/4–1/2 their length, valve surface usually conspicuously reticulate;

sessile.

erect or slightly spreading, dull green when dry, narrowly lanceoloid to narrowly ovoid, 12–36 × 3–6 mm, free tips of valves 1–1.5 mm.

asymmetrically cuneiform, 1.8–2.2(–2.6) mm.2n = 14.

1–1.9 × 0.6–0.9 mm.

= 14.