Flora of North America species comparison

erect, branched or unbranched, 30–300 cm.

(when present) unbranched and erect or, sometimes, few branches from near base, in robust plants stems and caudex hollow and greatly enlarged, especially toward base, densely leafy, 5–35 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.

in a basal rosette, sometimes also cauline, (1.4–)6–15(–28) × (0.2–)1–3.5(–5.6) cm;

petiole (0.9–)3.5–8(–14) cm;

blade oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, pinnatifid or 2-pinnatifid to shallowly pinnately lobed, margins sinuate-dentate or subentire, apex obtuse.

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.

usually 1–4, rarely more, opening per day, 1–2 hours before sunset;

sepals (7–)12–25(–30) mm;

petals yellow, fading reddish orange to purple, obcordate to obovate, (6–)13–35(–40) mm;

filaments 6–16 mm, anthers 3–10 mm;

style (32–)40–90(–100) mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers or surrounded by them.

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

sessile.

woody in age, sigmoid or curved to nearly straight, lanceoloid to ovoid, 4-angled, 10–45(–60) × 4–8 mm, beak 4–15 mm, dehiscent 1/4–2/3 their length;

sessile.

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

usually numerous, in 2 rows per locule, obovoid to oblanceoloid, 3–3.5 × 1–1.4 mm, surface thickened above raphe and at distal end into U-shaped structure.

= 14.

= 14.