Flora of North America species comparison

branched, with 1 or 2 nodes, 0.8–1.9 mm wide, usually glabrous, margins entire, similar in color and texture to stem body;

first internode 11–36 cm, longer than leaves;

distalmost node with 2–3 branches.

branched, with 1–2 nodes, 1.9–4.8 mm wide, glabrous, margins variously serrulate, denticulate, or entire, similar in color and texture to stem body;

first internode 2.6–19 cm, shorter than leaves;

distalmost node with 2–3 erect to arcuate branches.

blades usually glabrous, bases occasionally becoming fibrous, but not persistent in tufts.

blades glabrous, bases not persistent in fibrous tufts.

borne singly;

spathes green or occasionally with purplish tinge on margins, obviously wider than supporting branch, glabrous or slightly scabrous, keels entire;

outer 12–16.1 mm, 1.4 mm shorter to 1.5 mm longer than inner, tapering evenly towards apex, margins basally connate 3–5.2 mm;

inner with keel evenly curved or straight, hyaline margins 0.2–0.6 mm wide, apex broadly rounded to truncate, usually erose, ending 0–0.5 mm proximal to green apex or, occasionally, exceeding it by up to 0.5 mm.

borne singly;

spathes green, obviously wider than supporting branch, glabrous, keels entire to denticulate;

outer 15–24.5 mm, 1.4 mm shorter to 2.2 mm longer than inner, tapering evenly towards apex, margins basally connate 2.5–4.5 mm;

inner with keel evenly curved, hyaline margins 0.3–0.6 mm wide, apex broadly acute to obtuse or lobed, 0.8 mm shorter to 0.4 mm longer than green apex.

tepals light blue or bluish violet to purple or occasionally white, bases yellow;

outer tepals 6.3–11 mm, apex emarginate to truncate, aristate;

filaments connate ± entirely, stipitate-glandular basally;

ovary blackish, in contrast with much lighter foliage.

tepals blue to light bluish violet, bases yellow;

outer tepals 8–15 mm, apex rounded to occasionally slightly emarginate, aristate;

filaments connate ± entirely, stipitate-glandular basally;

ovary similar in color to foliage.

dark brown to black or purplish black, ± globose to obovoid, 2–4.1 mm;

pedicel ascending to erect.

light to dark brown, obovoid to ± globose, 3.8–5.3 mm;

pedicel erect to spreading.

globose to obconic, lacking obvious depression, 0.5–1.2 mm, rugulose or occasionally granular.

globose to obconic, with slight depression on one side, 1–1.5 mm, rugulose.

= 16, 32.

= 32.