Flora of North America species comparison

short.

short.

15–30, many-ranked, reflexed, twisted or contorted, gray, often flushed red, to 65 × 0.6–1.4 cm, appressed-grayish-scaly;

sheath conspicuously rust-colored toward base, ovate to elliptic, conspicuously inflated, forming small pseudobulb, 2–4 cm wide;

blade linear-triangular, leathery, channeled to involute, apex attenuate.

20–50, many-ranked, erect to spreading, gray to gray-green, 25–50 × 1–2.5 cm, grayish-scaly;

sheath dark rust colored toward base, broadly elliptic, flat, not forming pseudobulb, 3–4 cm wide;

blade narrowly triangular, tapering evenly from base to apex, stiff, leathery, channeled to involute, apex attenuate.

scape conspicuous, erect, 8–30 cm, 2–4 mm diam.;

bracts densely imbricate, spreading, recurved and twisted like leaves;

sheath of bracts narrowing gradually into blade;

spikes erect, 2-pinnate, linear, compressed, 2–10 × 1 cm, apex acute;

lateral branches 2–10 (rarely simple).

scape conspicuous, erect or ascending, 10–35 cm, 4–8 mm diam.;

bracts densely imbricate, erect to spreading, like leaves but gradually smaller;

sheath of bracts narrowing gradually into blade;

spikes erect to spreading, densely palmate to laxly 2(–3)-pinnate, narrowly elliptic, compressed, 5–20 × 1.5–2.5 cm, apex acute;

lateral branches 3–15.

5–30, conspicuous;

sepals with adaxial pair connate, lanceolate, keeled, 1.5–2 cm, leathery, apex acute, surfaces glabrous;

corolla tubular;

petals erect, violet, ligulate, to 3.5 cm;

stamens exserted;

stigma exserted, conduplicate-spiral.

10–50, conspicuous;

sepals with adaxial pair connate, lanceolate, to 1/2 keeled, to 4.2 cm, leathery, slightly veined, apex acute, surfaces glabrous to slightly scaly;

corolla tubular, petals erect, violet (white), ligulate, 5–6 cm;

stamens exserted;

stigma exserted, conduplicate-spiral.

to 4 cm.

to 4 cm.

bracts imbricate, erect, green to red, broad (covering all or most of rachis, rachis not visible at anthesis), elliptic, keeled, 1.5–2 cm, leathery, base not visible at anthesis, apex acute, surfaces glabrous to inconspicuously scaly near apex only, venation even to slight.

bracts imbricate, erect, red, red-yellow-green, or green, broad (covering all or most of rachis, rachis not visible at anthesis), elliptic, keeled, 2–4.8 × 1.2–2 cm, thin-leathery, base not visible at anthesis, apex acute, surfaces glabrous or slightly scaly toward apex, venation even to slight.