Flora of North America species comparison

2-ranked;

blade variegated, abaxially reddish purple, adaxially striped green and white, lanceolate-elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 3–9 × 1.5–3 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), base oblique, cuneate, apex acute to acuminate.

basal or cauline, alternate;

sheaths closed;

blade simple, often succulent, margins entire, venation parallel.

terminal, consisting of pairs of sessile cymes enclosed in sheaths of spathaceous bracts, pedunculate; spathaceous bracts foliaceous, reduced.

terminal or terminal and axillary [sometimes all axillary], sometimes becoming leaf-opposed, cymose (cymes scorpioid), thyrsiform or variously reduced, sometimes umbel-like, sometimes enclosed in spathaceous bracts.

subsessile;

sepals basally connate, 4–5 mm;

petals pink, clawed, claws basally connate forming tube;

stamens epipetalous;

filaments bearded.

bisexual or bisexual and staminate on same plants, rarely bisexual and pistillate on same plants [bisexual and unisexual (staminate and pistillate), all on same plants], bilaterally or radially symmetric;

sepals 3, sepaloid [occasionally petaloid], distinct or occasionally connate, usually subequal;

petals 3, deliquescent, petaloid, distinct or connate, equal or unequal;

stamens 6, all fertile or some staminodial or absent (rarely all stamens absent);

anthers with longitudinal [rarely poricidal] dehiscence;

ovary superior, 2–3-locular;

ovules 1-seriate [2-seriate];

style 1, simple, usually slender;

stigma 1, simple [rarely slightly 3-lobed], enlarged or not.

loculicidal capsules [rarely indehiscent or berries].

3-locular;

locules 2-seeded.

1–several [rarely many] per locule;

hilum dotlike or linear; lidlike embryotega covering embryo.