Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green or sometimes reddish purple, rarely under-developed plants ascending, branched to nearly simple, 0.3–2(–2.5) m. Leaves: petiole 1/2 as long as to equaling blade;

blade ovate, rhombic-ovate, or lanceolate, (2–)4–15 × (1–)2–6 cm, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, with mucro.

erect, branched, stout, usually 1–3 m. Leaves: petiole 1/2 length of blade;

blade lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate to linear, to 20 × 4 cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins entire, plane to slightly undulate, apex acute to acuminate.

lanceolate-linear to subulate, 2–3.5(–4) mm, subequal to or 2 times as long as tepals, apex spinescent.

of pistillate flowers 1.5 mm; of staminate flowers with midribs not prominent, scarcely excurrent, shorter than 1 mm.

terminal and axillary, erect or reflexed, occasionally nodding, green or olive green, occasionally with silvery or reddish purple tint, leafless at least distally, terrminal inflorescence often slightly nodding with numerous shorter branches at base.

mostly terminal, narrow spikes or thyrses, usually interrupted, linear.

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

tepals 5, without prominent midribs, equal, 2.5–3 mm, apex obtuse to indistinctly mucronulate in outer tepals;

stamens 3–5.

tepals 5, lanceolate to lanceolate-linear, subequal or unequal, 1.5–3 mm, membranaceous, apex acute or acuminate, gradually narrowing into aristate tip;

style branches erect, shorter than body of fruit;

stigmas 3.

tepals absent or 1–2 and rudimentary;

style branches ± erect;

stigmas 3–5.

black to dark reddish brown, lenticular to lenticular-globose, 1–1.3 mm, smooth, shiny.

reddish brown to dark brown, 2–3 mm diam., shiny.

obovoid or elongate-ovoid, 1.5–2.5 mm, shorter than tepals, smooth proximally, lid verrucose or rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile, or rarely in some presumably hybrid forms, irregularly dehiscent or indehiscent.

often black, with 3(–5) longitudinal ridges corresponding to 3–5 style branches, ovoid or obovoid, 2.5–4 mm (exceeding tepals, when present), somewhat fleshy, smooth (slightly rugose, especially in herbarium specimens).