Flora of North America species comparison

usually 1 of a cluster, sometimes short-rhizomatous basally, elongate, to 5 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray or brown, reticulate, cells very coarse-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate and regular or obscure.

usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing single bulb, brown or grayish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells not visible.

persistent, green at anthesis, 3–6, sheathing;

blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, 25–50 cm × 3–7 mm, margins entire or minutely denticulate.

usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat or broadly channeled, ± falcate, 8–33 cm × 1–10 mm, margins entire.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete or ± 4-angled, 30–50 cm × 1–3.5 mm.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 2–20 cm × 1–3 mm.

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

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

persistent, erect, compact, 8–20(–30)-flowered, globose to conic, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 3, 9–13-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acuminate.

± stellate, 5–10 mm;

tepals spreading or reflexed, white or pink, lanceolate, ± equal, withering in fruit and exposing capsules, margins entire, apex acute, midrib becoming noticeably thickened;

stamens ± equaling tepals to exserted;

anthers purple;

pollen light yellow;

ovary conspicuously crested;

processes 6, central, usually connate in pairs across septa, ± erect, flattened, to 2 mm, margins lacerate, usually well developed in fruit;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely lobed;

pedicel 15–25 mm, elongating in fruit.

conical to campanulate, 7–10 mm;

tepals strictly erect, dull purplish with darker midveins, ovate, ± equal, becoming membranous, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens equaling tepals or ± exserted;

filaments smooth proximally;

anthers purple;

pollen yellow or gray;

ovary crestless or crested;

processes 6, central, rounded, minute, margins entire;

style linear, slightly longer than stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 6–10 mm.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

= 28.

= 14.