Stemless Spiderwort

Description

Herbs, erect or ascending, rarely rooting at nodes. Roots thick, brownish-tomentose. Stems spreading, diffusely branched, particularly at base, 10--30 cm, arachnoid-villous or rarely nearly glabrescent. Leaves relatively lax and flaccid; blade deep green, linear-lanceolate, 10--18 - 0.5--1.5 cm (distal leaf blades equal to or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), - arachnoid-villous as on stems. Inflorescences terminal, solitary, often with axillary, pedunculate inflorescences from distal nodes; bracts foliaceous, similar to leaves in form, - arachnoid-villous. Flowers violet-scented; distinctly pedicillate; pedicels 2--3 cm, puberulent or pilose with mixed glandular, eglandular hairs; sepals green or suffused with rose or purple, 7--8 mm, pubescent with mixture of glandular, eglandular hairs; petals distinct, bright blue, broadly ovate, not clawed, 13--14 mm; stamens free; filaments bearded. Capsules 5--6 mm. Seeds 2--3 mm; hilum as long as seed. 2N = 12.