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.

erect-ascending to prostrate, branched mostly at base and in proximal 1/2, 0.1–0.5 m. Leaves: petiole ± equaling blade;

blade ovate, obovate-rhombic to narrowly ovate, sometimes lanceolate, 1.5–3(–4) × 0.5–1.5(–2) cm, base cuneate, margins entire to undulate-erose, apex rounded, obtuse, or emarginate, mucronate.

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

of pistillate flowers lanceolate or linear, 1–1.5 mm, 1/2 as long as 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, congested clusters.

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals (4–)5;

stamens 2–3.

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 5, connate in proximal 1/3 (entirely distinct in all other species), with 3 prominent veins abaxially, spatulate or somewhat clawed, equal or subequal, 2–3 mm, apex rounded or retuse, mucronate;

style branches somewhat spreading;

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.

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

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

cylindric or narrowly turbinate, 2–2.5 mm, ± equaling tepals, smooth proximally or roughened toward tips, indehiscent or tardily dehiscent.