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.

1–5, without basal bulbels, ovoid, 1–1.8 × 0.7–1.5 cm;

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

inner coats whitish or brownish, cells intricately contorted, walls not sinuous.

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, 3–5, sheathing;

blade solid, flat, channeled, 10–30 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

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

persistent, solitary, erect, ± terete, 10–30 cm × 1–3 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, compact or ± loose, usually 10–25-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 1-veined, ovate, ± 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.

campanulate to ± stellate, 6–9 mm;

tepals spreading, bright yellow, sometimes tinged with red, fading with age and sometimes upon drying, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery and rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse or acute, midribs somewhat thickened;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless or rarely crested;

processes 6, central, low, sometimes distinct or connate in pairs across septa, rounded, margins entire;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely lobed;

pedicel 5–20 mm.

coat dull;

cells each with central papilla.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

= 14.