Flora of North America species comparison

short, tapered to a point distally.

forming clumps, stout, praemorse.

1–2, round in cross section, 2–4.5 dm, slender, glabrous.

1–many, round in cross section, 3–6 dm, stout, glabrous.

usually raised somewhat, exposing flower;

blade green, often with underlying purplish maroon in well-lighted plants, major veins on adaxial surface deeply engraved, elliptic-ovate, 6.5–15 × 4–8 cm, including elongated, petiolelike base, proximal 1/3 of leaf gradually tapered to base, margins often slightly raised, apex blunt-acute to acuminate.

sessile to subsessile;

blade green, major veins prominent, rhombic, 10–18 × 10–20 cm, not glossy, tapered basally, apex short-acuminate.

opening at or recurved below bracts, rarely erect;

sepals falcate-recurved, green or streaked with purple, linear-lanceolate, 20–45 × 7–8 mm, margins ± flat, apex acuminate;

petals falcate-recurved distally, white, pink, or rose, darkening to pink or nonfading with age, veins visible but not appearing engraved, elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 3.5–5 × 1–2+ cm, thin-textured, bases somewhat imbricated, forming funnel-like tube, margins undulate, apex acuminate;

stamens prominent, recurved, 16–25 mm;

filaments white, slightly longer and narrower than anthers;

anthers recurving, bright yellow, 5–14 mm, thick, dehiscence introrse;

ovary inconspicuous, white, angular-ovoid, deeply 6-angled, 4–12 × 3–7 mm, slender, base narrow;

style 2–6 mm;

stigmas prominent, strongly curled (circinate) to erect, connate basally, pale green or white, not lobed, 4–10 mm, uniformly thin;

pedicel deflexed or recurved, rarely erect, angled, 2–4(–5) cm.

above bracts, erect to mostly leaning, odor faintly sweet, applelike;

perianth gaping, strongly 3-dimensional;

sepals spreading, green, flat, oblanceolate-lanceolate, 20–40 × 6–15 mm, margins entire, apex mildly sulcate;

petals spreading-ascending, not recurved to weakly so at tip, creamy white, flat, adaxial veins faintly engraved, ovate to ovate-orbicular, 4–7+ × 1.5–4 cm, 1.5 times as long as sepals, heavy-textured, base rounded, margins entire, apex acuminate;

stamens erect to weakly recurved, 7–20 mm;

filaments purple or brownish, shorter than anthers, slender;

anthers weakly recurved, yellow with brown undertones, 6–20 mm, longer than ovary, slender, dehiscence introrse;

connectives purple-brown, not extending beyond anther sacs;

ovary dark purplish black, pyramidal at anthesis, very strongly 6-angled, 7–12 mm, widely attached basally;

stigmas short, mildly recurved, distinct, purple or yellow, not lobed adaxially, 2–5.5 mm, fleshy, basally widened to gradually tapered;

pedicel ± erect to mostly leaning, 4–9 cm.

baccate, greenish or whitish, ovoid-globose, angles less prominent when mature, 1–1.5 cm diam., pulpy but not juicy.

baccate, dark purplish black, odorless, orbicular, 1–1.5 cm diam., fleshy, not juicy.