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.

20–75, many-ranked, spreading and recurved, not twisted, gray-green (rarely variegated with linear cream stripes), to 1 m × 1.5–3.5 cm, finely appressed-scaly;

sheath pale or slightly rust colored, ovate, not inflated, not forming pseudobulb, 6–15 cm wide;

blade linear-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, 20–50 cm, 6–12 mm diam.;

bracts densely imbricate proximally, often lax distally, erect to spreading, like leaves but gradually smaller;

sheath of bracts narrowing gradually into blade;

spikes very laxly 6–11-flowered, erect to spreading, 2–3-pinnate, linear, 15–40 × 10–15 cm, apex acute;

branches 5–40 (rarely simple).

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.

10–200, conspicuous;

sepals free, elliptic, not keeled, 1.4–2 cm, thin-leathery, veined, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous;

corolla tubular, somewhat bilaterally symmetric, petals erect, slightly twisted, white, ligulate, to 4 cm;

stamens exserted;

stigma exserted, conduplicate-spiral.

to 3 cm.

to 4 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, erect, green or tinged purple, exposing most of rachis at anthesis, ovate, not keeled, 1.2–2 cm, leathery, venation slight, base visible at anthesis, apex acute, surfaces glabrous.

= 25 (Puerto Rico, West Indies).