Flora of North America species comparison

usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 0.8–1.6 × 0.6–1.4 cm;

outer coats enclosing single bulb, brownish, membranous, with ± obscure reticulations, cells isodiametric to transversely elongate, often contorted, without fibers;

inner coats white to pink, cells obscure, quadrate.

1–3, borne on stout, ± horizontal rhizome, elongate, cylindric or conic, 0.5–1.5 × 0.7–2 cm;

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

inner coats white, cells closely parallel, elongate.

usually dedicuous with scape, green at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extended much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat to ± terete, linear, broadly channeled, 4–22 cm × 1–2 mm, margins entire.

withering from tip by anthesis, 2–5, sheathing scape to ± soil level;

blade solid, flat, carinate abaxially, 20–40 cm × 2–6 mm, margins entire.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, slightly flattened, very narrowly winged or not, 1–5 cm × 0.5–2 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 30–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, erect, compact, 5–15-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–9-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex obtuse or acute.

persistent, erect, loose, 20–50-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 1–3, 3–7-veined, lance-ovate, shorter than pedicel, apex acuminate.

campanulate, 5–9 mm;

tepals erect, white with green or reddish midribs or rarely pink, oblong to lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins obscurely to distinctly denticulate-serrulate, apex obtuse to acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers purple or mottled purple and white;

pollen white or gray;

ovary crested;

processes 3, low, rounded, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 2–5 mm.

substellate, 4–9 mm;

tepals spreading, white with green or brownish midveins, lanceolate to elliptic, ± equal, withering and exposing capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse or acute;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 10–30 mm.

coat dull or shining;

cells smooth.

coat shining;

cells smooth, irregularly shaped, with ± sinuous walls.

= 14.