Flora of North America species comparison

erect, branched or unbranched, 30–300 cm.

many-branched from base, leafy, (10–)15–25(–38) cm.

in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 3–7 × 0.5–2 cm, sessile, blade oblong to oblong-lanceolate, base usually ± auriculate, margins entire;

cauline 3–8(–10) × 0.4–1.8 cm, blade lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, gradually smaller, becoming linear-subulate distally.

cauline, (0.3–)0.6–1.5(–2.5) × (0.05–)0.15–0.4(–0.6) cm, fascicles of small leaves 0.2–0.6 cm often present in non-flowering axils;

petiole 0–0.1 cm;

blade lanceolate to linear, base cuneate, apex acute.

long, wandlike, unbranched or branched.

4-merous, nearly actinomorphic, opening near sunrise;

floral tube 6–17 mm;

sepals 4–6 mm;

petals white, fading off-white or tinged pink, slightly unequal, rhombic, 4–6 mm, abruptly clawed;

filaments 5–8 mm, anthers 1.5–2 mm, pollen 85–100% fertile;

style 6–10, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

several opening per day near sunset;

buds usually without free tips, rarely free tips 0.2–0.3 mm;

sepals (7–)8–12 mm;

petals pink, rarely white, streaked or flecked with red, fading bright purple, (8–)10–17 mm;

filaments 6–8 mm, anthers often with red longitudinal stripe, 3–6 mm;

style (16–)22–27 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

ovoid, 4-angled, somewhat flattened, 3–4 × 1.5–2.3 mm, valves with raised midrib and conspicuous lateral veins;

sessile.

woody, ovoid, narrowly winged, wings 0.8–1.5 mm wide, (7–)9–12(–14) × 2–4 mm (excluding wings), abruptly constricted to a conspicuous, sterile beak, (2–)3–4.5 mm, indehiscent;

sessile.

1, pale yellow, oblanceoloid, 2.4–2.6 × 1–1.5 mm.

asymmetrically cuneiform or oblanceoloid, 1.2–1.5 × 0.4–0.5 mm.

= 14.

= 14.