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, erect when young, or main stems ± erect, branched proximally, 0.1–0.6 m. Leaves: petiole equaling or 1/2 as long as blade;

blade elliptic, oblanceolate to lanceolate, (0.5–)1–3(–3.5) × 0.3–2 cm, base tapering, margins entire, plane to slightly undulate, apex broadly rounded or emarginate.

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

of pistillate flowers keeled (only A. scleropoides and A. crassipes have keeled bracts), ovate-triangular, minute.

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 base to top, axes thickened and inflated, becoming indurate at maturity (only in A. scleropoides and A. crassipes).

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 5, membranaceous;

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 5, narrowly spatulate, slightly clawed, with expanded blade, equal or subequal, (1.2–)1.5–2.5 mm, apex acute to apiculate;

claws indurate at maturity;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2–3.

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 brownish black to black, compressed-ovoid to broadly lenticular, 0.9–1.1 mm diam., shiny.

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

orbicular to compressed-obovoid, 1.1–1.5 mm, shorter than tepals, smooth to tuberculate in distal 1/2, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.