Ozark Spiderwort

Description

The stems can grow to over 50 cm tall. They grow from thickened roots and are characterized as herbaceous, typically glabrous but occasionally hirsute. The stems are glaucous and somewhat succulent. The leaves are alternate and sheathing at the base, growing up to 30 cm long. Each leaf is about 4 cm broad. The leaves are glaucous above and below (less so above), glabrous, ciliate margined, and narrowly lanceolate. The inflorescence is terminal, bracteate, umbellate cymes are found about the flowers. The pedicels are about 3 cm long, glandular pilose, and strongly recurving in fruit. The flowers have three petals which are white to pink or lilac. They are glabrous and broadly ovate, about 2 cm long and forming broad, distinct shapes. Each flower has six stamens. The filaments are 3 mm long and are white, with dense multicellular hairs longer than the filament attached mostly to the lower half. The anthers are yellow and are 2 mm broad and 1 mm long. There is one style which is glabrous and 2-3 mm long. The ovaries are 3-locular (one ovule per locule), with erect gland-tipped hairs on the summit. They have three sepals and are ovate, acute and glandular pilose externally, glabrous internally. The sepals are about 8 mm long and 4 mm broad with free accrescent.