Flora of North America species comparison

elongate.

short.

4–8, 2-ranked, often twisted or contorted, gray to silver-gray, 1.5–3 × 0.1–0.2 cm, densely grayish-scaly;

sheath pale, narrowly elliptic, not inflated, not forming pseudobulb, 0.2–0.4 cm wide;

blade filiform, succulent, margins involute to nearly tubular, apex acute.

20–40, many-ranked, erect to spreading, gray, 30–45 × 1–2.2 cm, appressed-grayish-scaly;

sheath dark rust-colored, broadly elliptic, conspicuously inflated, forming small pseudobulb, 3–4 cm wide;

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

scape concealed within leaf sheath, appearing scapeless, pendent with shoot, ± 1 mm diam.

scape conspicuous, erect, 15–35 cm, 3–6 mm diam.;

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

sheath of bracts narrowing gradually into blade;

spikes erect, 2-pinnate, narrowly elliptic, compressed, 2–6 × 1–1.5 cm, apex acute;

lateral branches 3–13.

1, inconspicuous, apparently sessile;

sepals free, ovate, not keeled, 0.6–0.7 cm, thin, veined, apex acute, surfaces glabrous;

corolla spreading, petals spreading, yellow-green, elliptic, to 1 cm;

stamens included;

stigma included, simple-erect.

5–40, conspicuous;

sepals with adaxial pair connate, lanceolate, keeled, 2–2.4 cm, thin-leathery, veined, apex acute, surfaces slightly scaly;

corolla tubular, petals erect, violet, ligulate, to 5 cm;

stamens exserted;

stigma exserted, conduplicate-spiral.

to 2.5 cm.

to 3.8 cm.

bracts enveloping flower, erect, green, broad (covering all or most of rachis, rachis not visible at anthesis), ovate, not keeled, 0.4–0.5 cm, thin-leathery, apex acute, surfaces densely grayish-scaly, venation even to slight.

bracts imbricate, erect, red, broad (covering all or most of rachis, rachis not visible at anthesis), elliptic, keeled, 2–2.5 cm, leathery, base not visible at anthesis, apex acute, surfaces glabrous, venation even to slight.