Flora of North America species comparison

short.

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, 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).

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 4 cm.

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).