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.

usually erect, green or reddish purple, branched, mainly in inflorescences, to nearly simple proximally, 0.4–2(–2.5) m, coarse.

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.

petiole of distal leaves equaling or slightly shorter than blade, becoming longer proximally;

blade rhombic-ovate to broadly lanceolate 4–12 × 2–7 cm, larger in robust plants, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, narrowly cuneate in distal leaves, margins entire, apex cuneate to obtuse or indistinctly emarginate, mucronulate.

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

lanceolate to linear-subulate, subspinescent, 3–6(–8) mm, to 2 times as long as tepals, rigid.

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.

predominantly terminal, often with few spikes at distal axils stiff, erect, dark red, purple, or deep beet-red, less commonly yellowish or greenish, leafless at least in distal part, usually robust.

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

clustered at tips of inflorescence branches;

tepals 3–5;

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 usually 5, proximal ones lanceolate, distal ones narrowly ovate-elliptic to elliptic, not clawed, unequal to occasionally subequal, 1.3–3(–3.5) mm, apex acute;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3.

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

white, ivory, pinkish white, or black to dark reddish brown, subglobose to lenticular, 1–1.4 mm diam., smooth, 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.

compressed-ovoid to elongate-ovoid, (1.5–)2–3 mm, equaling tepals or nearly so, smooth or lid slightly rugose or minutely verrucose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.