Flora of North America species comparison

1 or more, not attached to rhizome, ovoid, 1.2–2 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulbs, brown to grayish brown, fibrous, fibers close, ± parallel;

inner coats white to light brown, not cellular.

5–20, clustered, stipitate, hard-shelled, asymmetric, ovoid, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulbs, brownish to yellowish, membranous, vertically striate, splitting into parallel strips and fibers, cells arranged in ± wavy rows, vertical;

inner coats white to light brown, cells obscure, vertically elongate.

withering from tip by anthesis, 2–4, sheathing proximal 1/2+ scape;

blade fistulose proximally, solid distally, terete, linear to filiform, prominently ribbed proximally, channeled distally, 1.5–2.5 cm × 0.5–5 mm, margins and veins usually scabrid with minute teeth, apex acute.

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

blade hollow below middle, terete, cylindric or filiform, not carinate, 20–60 cm × 2–4 mm, margins entire.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 25–100 cm × 4–8 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 30–120 cm × 1.5–4 mm.

persistent, erect, compact to ± loose, 0–40-flowered, subglobose, with few to many bulbils or with bulbils only;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 4–9-veined, lanceolate, unequal, apex acuminate into beak, beak long, slender, to 20 cm, ± equaling or longer than base.

persistent, erect, ± compact, 0–50-flowered, subglobose to ovoid or hemispheric, flowering pedicels all or in part replaced by bulbils;

bulbils sessile, basally narrowed, 4–6 × 2–3 mm;

spathe bract caducous, 1, 2–several-veined, ovate, apex caudate, beaked, beak ± equaling or longer than base.

usually aborting before capsules mature, if present, campanulate, 6–8 mm;

tepals erect, whitish or pinkish to purple, outer narrowly obovate, inner ± elliptic, unequal, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers yellow to reddish;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 15–60 mm.

campanulate, 3–4 mm;

tepals erect, greenish to purple, elliptic-lanceolate, ± equal, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens exserted, outer 3 filaments without appendages, inner 3 filaments with 2 prominent lateral appendages;

anthers purple;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style exserted, linear, ± equaling stamen;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; flowering pedicel 10–20 mm.

coat unknown;

capsules only rarely produced.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

= 32, 40.