Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green or reddish purple, branched distally, mostly in inflorescence, to nearly simple, 0.4–2 m. Leaves: petiole 1/2 as long as to ± equaling blade;

blade rhombic-ovate or ovate to broadly lanceolate, 3–15(–20) × 1.5–10(–15) cm, occasionally larger in robust plants, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, margins entire, plane, apex acute or subobtuse to slightly emarginate, with mucro.

ascending to prostrate, sometimes erect, simple or branched, sometimes radiating from base and forming mats, 0.1–0.6 m. Leaves: petiole usually equaling to 2 times as long as blade;

blade ovate or obovate, 1–6 × 0.5–4 cm, base tapering or cuneate, margins entire, plane, apex distinctly emarginate to almost bilobate, mucronate.

narrowly spathulate, 2–3 mm, equaling or slightly longer than tepals, apex short-spinescent.

of pistillate flowers lanceolate, inconspicuous, 0.5 mm, shorter than tepals.

terminal and axillary, erect, reflexed, or nodding, usually dark red, purple, or deep beet-red, less commonly almost green or greenish red, leafless at least distally, large and robust.

slender terminal spikes or panicles and also axillary clusters, in some forms only axillary clusters are present;

spikes erect or sometimes reflexed, green, leafless at least distally.

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

clustered at tips of spikes;

tepals 3;

stamens 3.

tepals 5, oblong to lanceolate, not clawed, equal or subequal, 1.5–3 mm, apex acute;

style branches erect or slightly reflexed;

stigmas 3.

tepals 3, elliptic or spatulate, not clawed, equal or subequal, 0.8–1.5 mm, margins entire, apex broadly acute;

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

usually white or ivory, with reddish or yellowish tint, sometimes dark brown to dark reddish brown, broadly lenticular to elliptic-lenticular, 1.2–1.6 mm diam., smooth or indistinctly punctate.

black or dark reddish brown, subglobose or broadly lenticular, (0.8–)1–1.8 mm diam., smooth, shiny, filling fruit almost completely.

obovoid to elongate-obovoid, 2–2.5 mm, smooth or slightly rugose distally, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.

compressed, subglobose to obovate, 1.2–2.5(–3) mm, exceeding tepals, smooth or faintly rugose, indehiscent.