Flora of North America species comparison

1–7 per colony, erect, thick, 1–1.5(–2.5) m. Leaf blade pale green, linear, widest near middle, 25–95 × 0.2–1.3 cm, flexible, margins entire, curled, filiferous, whitish, apex tapering to short spine.

0.6–1 m. Leaf blade linear, plano-convex or plano-keeled, widest near middle, 40–65 × 0.3–0.7(–1.5) cm, rigid, margins entire, filiferous, white, apex spinose, spine acicular, 7 mm.

mostly paniculate, sometimes distally racemose, arising beyond rosettes, mostly narrowly ovoid to ovoid, 7–15 × 2.5–6.5 dm;

branches 0.7–3.5 dm;

bracts erect;

peduncle sometimes scapelike, 1–2 m, 2.5–5.5 cm diam.

paniculate, arising within or occasionally beyond rosettes, narrowly ellipsoid, 6–10 dm, distance from leaf tips to proximal inflorescence branches less than twice leaf length when fully expanded, glabrous;

branches to 13 cm;

bracts erect;

peduncle scapelike, 0.5–1 m, less than 2.5 cm diam.

pendent;

perianth campanulate or globose;

tepals distinct, creamy white, often tinged green or pink, narrow to broadly elliptic or ovate, 3.2–5.7 × 1.3–3.2 cm;

filaments 1.5–2.5(–3.2) cm, pubescent;

anthers (2–)2.5–4.8 mm;

pistil 2–3.2 × 0.6–1 cm;

style white or pale green, 6–11 mm;

stigmas lobed.

pendent;

perianth globose;

tepals connate, dull green, sometimes tinged pink, 4.1–6.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm;

filaments shorter than pistil, flaccid;

anthers 3.2 mm;

pistil ovoid to obovoid, 2.5–3 × 0.5–0.9 cm;

style bright green;

stigmas lobed.

erect, capsular, dehiscent, oblong-cylindric, symmetrical or rarely constricted, 4–8.2 × 2–4 cm, dehiscence septicidal.

erect, capsular, dehiscent, symmetrical or rarely constricted, 4.5–5.5(–6.3) × 3–5 cm, dehiscence septicidal.

dull black, thin, 7–11(–14) mm diam.

glossy black, thin, 11–14 × 8–11 mm.