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.

erect or ascending, often whitish or tinged with red, usually branched distally, sometimes proximally, to nearly simple, 0.2–1 m.

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 usually longer than or ± equaling blade;

blade rhombic-ovate, ovate, obovate, or elliptic, 1–4.5 × 0.5–2.5 cm, usually somewhat fleshy, base cuneate, margins entire, apex obtuse to slightly emarginate, with terminal mucro.

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

lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 5–10 mm, longer than tepals, apex spinescent.

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.

terminal, usually unbranched, stout spikes and axillary clusters, erect, usually greenish or reddish, leafless at least distally.

at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (4–)5.

few at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 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 5, elongate, not clawed, unequal or subequal, 1.5–2.5 mm, apex obtuse to subacute;

style branches elongated, shorter than body of fruit;

stigmas 3.

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

black, lenticular to subglobose-lenticular, 1–1.2 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.

subglobose to broadly obovoid, 1.3–2.5 mm, equal or subequal to tepals, shorter than style branches, smooth or slightly rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.