Nemastylis

Herbs, perennial, from tunicate, ovoid bulbs; tunic brown, dry, brittle, papery. Stems simple or branched. Leaves few; blade pleated, lanceolate to ± linear. Inflorescences rhipidiate, few-flowered; spathes green, unequal, outer shorter than inner, apex usually brown, acute, dry. Flowers short-lived, actinomorphic; tepals spreading from base, distinct, blue [to mauve, or white], ± equal [outer whorl slightly larger than inner]; filaments distinct or partly to completely connate; anthers initially erect, collapsing in spiral fashion after dehiscing; style branching ± at or shortly below base of anthers; branches divided ± to base, 2-armed; arms filiform, extending horizontally on either side of subtending anther, stigmatic apically. Capsules ovoid to oblong, cartilaginous, apex truncate to turbinate. Seeds many, ± prismatic, or compressed, winged; seed coat brown. x = 7.

PLANT: Perennial herbs with ovoid or globose bulbs with dry papery scales. STEMS: simple or branched. LEAVES: basal and cauline, linear to lanceolate. INFLORESCENCE: 1‑ to few‑flowered, terminal, subtended by spathe‑like bracts. FLOWERS: actinomorphic; tepals distinct or slightly united at the base, blue, purple or white, equal or the outer series slightly larger; stamens distinct or filaments partially to completely connate, the anthers erect, collapsing into a spiral after dehiscing; pistil with style arms bifid almost to the base. FRUIT oblong, to 2.5 cm long, opening at the apex. FLOWERS: actinomorphic; tepals distinct or slightly united at the base, blue, purple or white, equal or the outer series slightly larger; stamens distinct or filaments partially to completely connate, the anthers erect, collapsing into a spiral after dehiscing; pistil with style arms bifid almost to the base. FRUIT oblong, to 2.5 cm long, opening at the apex. SEEDS: yellow or dark brown, ca. 2 mm long, angular. NOTES: 5 spp.; N. Amer, Mex, C. Amer. (Greek: nemo = thread + stylos = style). Goldblatt, P. 1975. Brittonia 27:373‑385. REFERENCES: Mason, Charles T., Jr. 2001. Iridaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 33(1).