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 to sometimes ascending or rarely prostrate, branched, rarely simple, usually (0.5–)1–2(–3) m. Leaves: petiole 1/4–1/2 length of blade;

blade ovate or obovate proximally, oblong or elliptic to narrowly lanceolate distally, 1.5–15 × 0.5–3 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, plane, apex obtuse or rounded to acute.

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

of pistillate flowers 1–2 mm; of staminate flowers with inconspicuous to prominent midrib, 1–2 mm, apex acuminate to short-subulate.

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.

terminal, linear spikes to panicles, occasionally interrupted-moniliform, remote, globose glomerules.

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

tepals 5, inner tepals with prominent midribs excurrent as rigid spines or not, equal to unequal, 2–3 mm, apex obtuse to acute or acuminate or indistinctly mucronulate;

stamens 5.

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 absent or 1–2, often rudimentary, 1–3 mm;

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.

dark reddish brown to dark brown, 0.7–1 mm diam., shiny.

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

dark brown to reddish brown, not ribbed, obovoid to subglobose, 1.5–2 mm, thin, almost smooth or irregularly rugose, indehiscent, irregularly dehiscent, or dehiscence regularly circumscissile.