Flora of North America species comparison

ascending or prostrate, profusely branched basally, radiating from rootstock, mostly 0.2–0.5 m.

erect-ascending to prostrate, branched mostly at base and in proximal 1/2, 0.1–0.5 m.

petiole 1/2 as long as to equaling blade;

blade rhombic-ovate or ovate to lanceolate, 1–2 × 0.5–1 cm, base tapering or cuneate, margins entire, plane or slightly undulate, apex subacute, obtuse, or retuse or shallowly emarginate, mucronulate.

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.

of pistillate flowers linear, 0.5–1 mm, 1/2 as long as tepals.

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

terminal, erect, compact, pyramidal panicles and also some axillary clusters, green or silvery green, occasionally tinged with red, leafless at least distally.

axillary, congested clusters.

clustered at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 2–3;

stamens 2–3.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals (4–)5;

stamens 2–3.

tepals 2–3, narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, not clawed, equal or subequal, 1.2–2 mm, apex broadly acute;

style branches erect;

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.

very dark brown to black, 1–1.2 mm diam., shiny, filling only proximal portion of fruit.

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

marked with 2(–3) green lines that intersect at apex and divide fruit into halves or quarters, slightly to distinctly inflated, ellipsoid, 2–3 mm, distinctly longer than tepals, smooth (in dry plants wrinkled or rugose), indehiscent.

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