Flora of North America species comparison

prostrate or ascending (very rarely suberect), much-branched (usually from base), (0.1–)0.2–0.6(–1) m. Leaves: petiole ± 1/2 as long as blade;

blade obovate, elliptic, or spatulate, 1–2(–4) × 0.5–1(–1.5) cm, base cuneate and tapering, margins usually entire, plane, rarely slightly undulate, apex obtuse, rounded, mucronulate.

erect or with lateral branches ascending, usually branched from base, main and lateral stems sparingly branched or simple, 0.3–0.7(–1) m. Leaves short-petiolate;

petiole 1/4–1/2 as long as blade;

blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, (1–)2–6(–10) × 0.1–0.5(–1) cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins entire, plane, apex acute to mucronulate.

of pistillate flowers narrow, thin, 1.5–5 mm, ± equaling or slightly exceeding tepals.

of pistillate flowers ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1–1.8 mm, shorter than tepals, about 1/2 or less as long as tepals.

axillary glomerules, green.

mostly axillary clusters scattered from base to apex of plants, distally condensed in lax, unbranched, almost leafless, slender, terminal spikes, interrupted.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 3(–4);

stamens 3.

tepals 5, apex obtuse;

stamens (2–)3.

tepals (3–)4–5, narrowly ovate to broadly linear, unequal or subequal, 1.5–3 mm, thin, apex acute or acuminate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3.

tepals 5, reflexed, fan-shaped to broadly spatulate, clawed, equal or subequal, 1.5–3.3 mm, margins fimbriate or denticulate, apex much expanded and obtuse;

style branches erect to ± spreading;

stigmas 3(–4).

black, lenticular to broadly plumply lenticular, 1.3–1.6 mm diam., rather dull.

black or dark reddish brown, lenticular to broadly lenticular, 0.8–1 mm diam., shiny, smooth.

broadly ovoid, 1.7–2.5 mm, equaling tepals, mostly smooth (slightly verrucose or rugose in dry plants), dehiscence regularly circumscissile.

subglobose to obovate, 1.2–2 mm, shorter than tepals, rugose to nearly smooth, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.

= 34.