Flora of North America species comparison

procumbent, to 0.4 m. Leaf blade divergent, spreading, linear or somewhat wider near middle, mostly straight, flattened or plano-convex, 25–65 × (0.3–)0.7–1.5 cm, soft, rigid, margins entire, becoming filiferous, whitish or light green.

erect, paniculate, dense, arising completely within to mostly extending beyond rosettes, ovoid, 6–8.2 dm, glabrous, rarely slightly pubescent;

peduncle scapelike, to 0.8 m. Flowers pendent, 5–13 cm, nearly as wide;

perianth campanulate;

tepals connate basally to form shallow floral cup 7–12 mm, usually cream-colored, occasionally tinged with purple, 4.5–13 cm;

filaments connate proximally into collarlike structure, 3.2–12 mm, fleshy, pubescent;

anthers 5–7 mm;

pistil 4.5–8 × 0.7–1.2 cm (usually 4–5(–7) times longer than broad);

ovary 0.7–1.2 cm;

style 5–7 mm;

stigmas distinct.

paniculate, racemose distally, arising 2–4.6 dm beyond rosettes, ovoid, 4.5–13 dm, distance from leaf tips to proximal inflorescence branches more than twice leaf length when fully expanded, glabrous;

raceme 20–25 cm;

proximal branches 15–25 cm;

bracts erect;

peduncle scapelike, 1–2 m, less than 2.5 cm diam.

pendent;

perianth hemispheric;

tepals distinct, pale greenish white, thin, 2.5–4.8 × 1.1–2.6 cm, apex acute;

filaments 1.7–2.2 cm, pubescent;

anthers 3.2 mm;

pistil slender, cylindric, 2.5–3.8 × 0.5–0.6 cm;

style whitish or pale green, 8–11 mm;

stigmas lobed.

pendent, baccate, indehiscent, elongate, 5–23 × 4–7.5 cm, fleshy, succulent.

erect, capsular, dehiscent, oblong-cylindric, deeply constricted near middle, (3.5–)4.6–6.3 × (1.5–)2.5–4.3 cm, dehiscence septicidal.

dull black, obovate, 7–11 mm diam., 3 mm thick, rugose.

glossy black, thin, 10–15 mm diam.