| 1. Old leaf margins fibrous-shredding; bracts deciduous; seeds gray s Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert |
| N. bigelovii |
| 1' Leaf margins minutely and persistently serrate; bracts persistent; seeds reddish brown |
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| 2. Aboveground stem ± 0; mature rosettes with < 45 leaves; leaf bases barely expanded; inflorescence < 1.6 m; bracts ± small sw Peninsular Ranges |
| N. interrata |
| 2' Aboveground stem obvious; mature rosettes with 45200 leaves; leaf bases strongly expanded; inflorescence 1.64 m; bracts large, papery |
| N. parryi
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