Flora of North America species comparison

ascending or prostrate, much-branched from stout rootstock, 0.1–0.4 m. Leaves: petiole to 1/2 as long as blade;

blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1.5–8 × 0.2–0.5(–1) mm, base tapering, margins entire, plane to undulate, apex obtuse and often emarginate.

prostrate or ascending (very rarely suberect), much-branched (usually from base), (0.1–)0.2–0.6(–1) m. Leaves: petiole ± 1/2 as long as blade;

blade obovate, elliptic, or spatulate, 1–2(–4) × 0.5–1(–1.5) cm, base cuneate and tapering, margins usually entire, plane, rarely slightly undulate, apex obtuse, rounded, mucronulate.

of pistillate flowers linear, 0.7–1.2 mm, 1/2–2/3 as long as tepals.

of pistillate flowers narrow, thin, 1.5–5 mm, ± equaling or slightly exceeding tepals.

terminal, compact pyramidal panicles and axillary glomerules, erect or reflexed, green, leafless at least distally.

axillary glomerules, green.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 3(–4);

stamens 3.

tepals 5, narrowly oblanceolate, not clawed, equal, 1.5–2 mm, apex obtuse or subacute;

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

tepals (3–)4–5, narrowly ovate to broadly linear, unequal or subequal, 1.5–3 mm, thin, apex acute or acuminate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3.

black, lenticular, 1–1.2 mm diam., semiglossy.

black, lenticular to broadly plumply lenticular, 1.3–1.6 mm diam., rather dull.

compressed, subglobose, 1.7–2 mm, ± equaling or slightly exceeding tepals, muricate, indehiscent.

broadly ovoid, 1.7–2.5 mm, equaling tepals, mostly smooth (slightly verrucose or rugose in dry plants), dehiscence regularly circumscissile.