Flora of North America species comparison

1–50+, ovoid, 0.2–1.5 × 0.2–1 cm;

outer coats surrounding numerous, very dark purple bulbels, usually white or greenish, membranous, sometimes breaking into ± parallel, fibrous strips;

inner coats white, cells obscure, quadrate.

1–7+, commonly producing either cluster of stalked, basal bulbels or filiform rhizomes to 1 dm, terminated by bulbels, rhizomes generally lost when specimens are collected, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.6–1.8 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light brown to gray, membranous, obscurely cellular-reticulate, cells rectangular, walls minutely sinuous, vertical, varying to irregular, all sinuous, without fibers;

inner coats white to pink, cells obscure, quadrate.

persistent, 2–5, sheathing 1/3–1/2 scape;

blade solid, flat or channeled, carinate, 15–40 cm × 2–5(–7) mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–5, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, 8–30 cm × 1–13 mm, margins entire.

persistent, solitary, erect, ± solid, 25–90 cm × 1–4 mm.

persistent, solitary or clustered 1–3, erect, solid, terete, 10–30(–40) cm × 1–5 mm.

persistent, erect, very dense, 80–200-flowered, globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts caducous, 2, 7–12-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex narrowed to beak, beak to 2 cm.

persistent, erect, loose, 15–40-flowered, globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–4-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

campanulate, 4–7 mm;

tepals erect, purple, or inner with broad whitish margins and purple midvein, oblong to ovate, ± equal, becoming keeled and ± rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse;

stamens included;

filaments: outer unlobed, inner with 2 prominent teeth on either side of anther, teeth 2–3 times anther-bearing portion, usually papillose to ciliate;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen light yellow to white;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling anther-bearing portion of stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicels 5–30 mm, outer much shorter than inner.

stellate, 7–10 mm;

tepals spreading, lilac to white, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, not carinate, margins entire, apex acuminate, not involute;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary conspicuously crested;

processes 6, central, distinct, flattened, triangular, margins papillose-denticulate;

style included, linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

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

coat dull;

cells each with central papilla.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

= 14, 28.