Plants wandlike or candelabra-form, (5–)20–40(–50) cm. Basal leaves persisting; petiole present or absent; blade lanceolate to linear, margins usually deeply to shallowly lobed, rarely entire. Cauline leaves: petiole present or absent (proximal leaves), absent (distal leaves); blade lanceolate to linear (proximal leaves), ovate-lanceolate to linear (distal leaves), to 13 cm, margins deeply to shallowly lobed or entire. Bracts usually green with prominent white base conspicuously extending outwards from midvein, rarely green, usually obovate, rarely lanceolate, 5.9–9.2 × 1.7–5 mm, width 1/5–2/3 length, not concealing capsule, margins usually 3–7-lobed, lateral lobes usually prominent, rarely entire. Flowers: sepals 1–4; petals orange proximally, yellow distally, 2–6(–8) mm, apex retuse or rounded; stamens 20–40, 2–7 mm, filaments monomorphic, filiform, unlobed; styles 1.5–3.5(–6) mm. Capsules cylindric or clavate, 6–17(–20) × 2–3 mm, axillary curved to 45° at maturity, usually inconspicuously longitudinally ribbed. Seeds 15–35, in 2+ rows distal to mid fruit, tan, moderately to densely dark-mottled, usually irregularly polygonal, occasionally triangular prisms proximal to mid fruit, surface tuberculate under 10× magnification; recurved flap over hilum absent; seed coat cell outer periclinal wall domed, domes on seed edges more than 1/2 as tall as wide at maturity. 2n = 36.
Home