Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect to ascending or decumbent, branched at or distal to base, 0.1–0.9 m. Leaves: petiole variable in length;

blade lanceolate to nearly linear or rhombic-ovate to elliptic-ovate, (1.5–)2–4(–5) × 1–3 cm, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, margins entire, plane, rarely indistinctly undulate, apex subacute to obtuse or emarginate, mucronulate.

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.

lanceolate, subspinescent, 1.5–2 mm, shorter or slightly longer than tepals.

mostly terminal, linear spikes to panicles, usually interrupted.

axillary glomerules, green.

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

stamens 5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 3, equal or subequal;

stamens 3.

tepals absent;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3–5.

tepals 3, erect, elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, equal or subequal, 1.5–2 mm, apex short-acuminate;

style branches slightly spreading;

stigmas (2–)3.

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

black, lenticular, 1–1.3(–1.6) 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).

subglobose to broadly elliptic, 2–2.5 mm, slightly rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile, rarely irregularly dehiscent.