Flora of North America species comparison

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

decumbent or erect, branched proximally, 0.7–1 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 1/2–11/2 times as long as blade;

blade obovate or obovate-elliptic to oblanceolate, 1–2 × 0.5–1 cm, base cuneate to attenuate, margins entire, apex obtuse, rounded, or slightly emarginate, mucronate.

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

of pistillate flowers lanceolate, 2–4 mm, shorter than tepals.

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

axillary clusters extending to near base.

clustered at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 2–3;

stamens 2–3.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 3, equal;

stamens 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 3, reflexed, ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, 3–5 mm, apex tapering and long-aristate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2.

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

black, subglobose or lenticular, 1–1.4 mm diam., semishiny (or minutely punctulate and reticulate).

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.

ellipsoid or ellipsoid-ovoid, 2 mm, shorter than tepals, mostly smooth (or slightly rugose distally), dehiscence regularly circumscissile.