Flora of North America species comparison

1–3, producing cluster of stalked basal bulbels distal to roots or filiform rhizomes to 10 cm and terminated by bulbels, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.6–1.4 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown to gray, membranous, cellular-reticulate, cells ± quadrate, walls very sinuous, without fibers;

inner coats pink to white, cells obscure, vertically elongate.

1–10+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, subglobose, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs, brown, cellular-reticulate, membranous, reticulum delicate, cells ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, ± rectangular, vertically elongate.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, distinctly concave-convex, 8–40 cm × 1–5 mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–3, sheathing proximal 1/5–1/4 scape;

blade solid, flat, not falcate, carinate, 15–50 cm × 5–20 mm, margins entire to denticulate.

persistent, solitary or clustered, 1–3, erect, solid, terete, 10–30 cm × 1–5 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, ± triquetrous, 2-edged or slightly winged proximally, terete distally, 20–60 cm × 2–7 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–50-flowered, ± globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3–5-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–25-flowered, ± hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bract persistent, 1, 8–9-veined, ovate, ± equal, equaling pedicel, apex acute.

stellate, 5–8 mm;

tepals spreading, rose to purple (rarely white) with darker purple crescent adaxially basally, lanceolate to ovate, ± equal, carinate in fruit, becoming erect, ± shiny, rigid, margins entire, apex acuminate, strongly involute at tip;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, low, central, triangular, margins minutely denticulate;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20 mm, becoming flexuous and mostly strongly deflexed in fruit.

± erect, saucer-shaped, 7–12 mm;

tepals spreading, white, broadly elliptic, ± equal, becoming membranous and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 15–35 mm.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat not known.

= 14, 28.