Flora of North America species comparison

1–5, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, increase bulbs ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, rhizomes absent, globose to ovoid, 1–2 cm × 8–20 mm;

outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs, reddish or brownish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white or light brown, cells absent or obscure and ± quadrate.

1 or more, clustered, short-rhizomatous at base, cylindric, elongate, 0.5–0.9 × 1.5–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulbs, grayish or brownish, persisting as fibrous reticulum but often appearing membranous as outer coats are lost during collecting, cells minutely striate;

inner coats whitish or pinkish, cells closely parallel, elongate.

deciduous with scape after seeds mature, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, falcate, 6–15 cm × 2–4 mm, margins entire or obscurely papillose.

persistent, green at anthesis, usually 2, distalmost usually ensheathing 1/3–1/2 scape;

blade hollow, terete, fistulose, 20–60 cm × 2–7 mm.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, strongly flattened, 2-edged or winged distally, wings obscurely papillose, 4–8 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, 2–12+, clustered, erect, terete, fistulose, 20–50 cm × 3–5 mm.

decisuous with scape, erect, compact, 5–12-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex acute.

persistent, erect, compact, 30–50-flowered, ± subglobose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–7-veined, lanceolate to broadly ovate, ± equal, apex short-acuminate.

campanulate, 6–8 mm;

tepals erect, white or pinkish with green midribs, becoming reddish purple, broadly elliptic-oblong, ± equal, becoming rigid, papery and ± connivent over fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse, not involute at tip;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen white to gray;

ovary crestless or obscurely crested;

processes 3, central, rounded, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or minutely 3-lobed;

pedicel 2–10.5(–18.5 in fruit) mm.

campanulate, 8–12 mm;

tepals erect, pale purple to deep lilac, drying pink, particularly on midrib, or white, elliptic to lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, permanently investing capsule, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, tips ± recurved, midribs not thickened;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely lobed;

pedicel 2–6 mm.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

coat shining;

cells minutely roughened, not pustuliferous.

= 14.

= 16.