Flora of North America species comparison

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.

1–3, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown or gray, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, ± quadrate, or not visible.

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 deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, 1–2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, straight or weakly falcate, flat or broadly channeled, 10–30 cm × 1–21 mm, margins entire.

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

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 2–12 cm × 1–3 mm.

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.

persistent, erect, compact, 20–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–4(–6), 10–16-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

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.

campanulate, 7–14 mm;

tepals erect, white or pink to purplish with dark greenish brown or purple midveins, lance-oblong, elliptic, or ± oblanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery and investing fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, central, rounded, minute, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 5–18 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth, irregularly shaped, with ± sinuous walls.

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

= 14, 28.