Flora of North America species comparison

erect, branched, stout to robust, usually 1.5–3 m (occasionally to 9 m!) × 30 cm.

erect, usually green, moderately branched, rarely nearly simple, 0.5–1.5(–2.5) m. Leaves: petiole shorter than to equaling blade;

blade rhombic-ovate, ovate, or elliptic to broadly lanceolate, 5–15(–20) × 2–10 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute to subobtuse, with mucro.

petiole 1/3–2/3 length of blade;

blade narrowly lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 10–20 × 1–4 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, plane, apex acute or long-attenuate to acuminate.

of pistillate flowers 1.5–2 mm; of staminate flowers with moderately heavy midribs, 1.5–2 mm.

narrowly lanceolate to linear, equaling or subequal to tepals, not exceeding style branches, apex acuminate with excurrent midrib.

mostly terminal, linear spikes to panicles, usually interrupted.

terminal, drooping or nodding, usually red, purple, or white, less commonly green, silvery green, or yellow, usually much-branched at base, leafless at least distally, very large and robust.

tepals 5, inner tepals with moderately prominent, excurrent midribs, equal, 2–2.5 mm, apex subacute to mucronulate;

stamens 5.

mostly at tips of inflorescences;

tepals (4–)5;

stamens 5.

tepals absent;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3–5.

tepals 5, spatulate-obovate or lanceolate-obovate, not clawed, subequal, (1–)1.5–2(–2.5) mm, membranaceous, apex obtuse, slightly emarginate, or subacute with mucro;

style branches spreading or reflexed;

stigmas 3.

reddish brown to dark brown, 1–1.2 mm diam., shiny.

dark brown to brownish black or reddish brown, yellowish white, or ivory, lenticular to subglobose, 1–1.2(–1.5) mm diam., smooth or indistinctly punctate.

stramineous to brown, with 3(–5) longitudinal ridges corresponding to 3–5 style branches, elliptic or obovoid, 1.5–2.5 mm, slightly fleshy, smooth (slightly rugose in herbarium specimens).

broadly ovoid to subglobose, 1.5–2(–2.5) mm, ± equaling tepals, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.