Flora of North America species comparison

sometimes tuberous.

sparsely branched, 8–39 cm, scabridulous or rarely glabrescent.

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.

blade linear-lanceolate, 1–10 × 0.15–0.8 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), firmly membranaceous, glaucous, glabrous.

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

terminal, solitary, or frequently with 1–3 axillary inflorescences from distal nodes;

bracts foliaceous.

subsessile;

sepals basally connate, 4–5 mm;

petals pink, clawed, claws basally connate forming tube;

stamens epipetalous;

filaments bearded.

distinctly pedicillate;

pedicels 0.8–1 cm, glandular-puberulent;

sepals frequently suffused with red, glaucous, 4–6 mm, glandular-puberulent;

petals distinct, bright blue to rose and purple, not clawed, 9–12 mm;

stamens free;

filaments bearded.

3-locular;

locules 2-seeded.

3–4 mm.

1.5–2 mm;

hilum much shorter than seed.