Flora of North America species comparison

short.

short.

4–10, 2-ranked, recurving, gray, 6–12 × 0.2–0.3 cm, densely pruinose-scaly;

sheath pale, elliptic, not inflated, not forming pseudobulb, 4–8 mm wide;

blade subulate, terete distally, succulent, margins involute to nearly tubular, apex acute to attenuate.

10–20, many-ranked, spreading to recurved, spirally twisted, gray or reddish, banded silver, to 40 × 1–2.5 cm, appressed-grayish-scaly;

sheath dark chestnut brown, broadly elliptic to ovate, not inflated, not forming pseudobulb, 2–3 cm wide;

blade narrowly triangular, leathery, channeled to involute, apex attenuate.

scape conspicuous, erect, 2–5 cm, ± 1 mm diam.;

bracts 1–2, widely spaced, erect, inconspicuous, nearly foliaceous;

sheath of bracts narrowing gradually into blade;

spikes ascending, subpalmate, elliptic, compressed, 8–15 ´ 4–6 mm, apex acute;

lateral branches absent.

scape conspicuous, erect, 15–40 cm, 3–5 mm diam.;

bracts laxly imbricate, erect to spreading, distal widely spaced, like leaves but gradually smaller;

sheath of bracts narrowing abruptly into blade;

spikes very laxly 2–6-flowered, erect to spreading, simple or 2-pinnate, linear in outline, 12–40 × 3–4.5 cm, apex acute;

lateral branches 2–8.

usually 2, conspicuous;

sepals free, lanceolate, not keeled, 6–8 mm, thin, veined, apex acute, surfaces glabrous;

corolla tubular;

petals spreading toward apex, violet, elliptic, 0.7–1 cm;

stamens included;

stigma included, simple-erect.

5–40, conspicuous;

sepals free, elliptic, not keeled, 2–3 cm, leathery to thin-leathery, veined, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous;

corolla tubular, petals erect, apex spreading, pink to dark rose, ligulate, to 4 cm;

stamens exserted;

stigma exserted, conduplicate-spiral.

to 3 cm.

to 7.5 cm.

bracts laxly imbricate, erect, green, tinged purple, broad (covering all or most of rachis, rachis not visible at anthesis), narrowly elliptic, not keeled, 0.8–1 cm, thin-leathery, apex acute, surfaces densely grayish-scaly, venation even to slight.

bracts widely spaced, spreading with flowers, gray or reddish, exposing most of rachis at anthesis, elliptic, not keeled, 2.3–3.1 cm, thin-leathery, base not visible at anthesis, apex acute, surfaces glabrous to slightly scaly.