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.

prostrate, whitish or tinged with red, much-branched from base, 0.1–0.5 m, rather fleshy.

petiole 1/2 or less as long as blade;

blade pale green, veins prominent, obovate, spatulate, or oblanceolate to linear, 0.3–2(–3) × 0.2–1.5 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, plane or slightly undulate, apex obtuse to subacute, with prominent mucro.

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

of pistillate flowers linear, 0.5–1 mm, ± equaling 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.

axillary clusters borne from bases to tops of plants.

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals (2–)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 1–3, narrowly lanceolate, unequal, usually with only 1 well-developed tepal, largest 1–1.2 mm, apex acute to acuminate;

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.

very dark reddish brown, lenticular, (0.6–)0.7–1 mm diam., shiny.

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

subglobose, 1–1.2 mm, smooth or wrinkled (especially in dry plants), dehiscence regularly circumscissile or tardily dehiscent.