Flora of North America species comparison

ascending or prostrate, much-branched from stout rootstock, 0.1–0.4 m.

erect, usually branched or occasionally ± simple, 0.4–1.5(–2) m;

branches sometimes ascending.

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.

petiole shorter than or rarely ± equaling blade;

blade mostly narrowly ovate, obovate, elliptic, or lanceolate, 1.5–8 × 0.5–3 cm, thin and soft, base cuneate to nearly rounded, margins entire, plane or irregularly undulate, apex subacute to obtuse, with terminal mucro.

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

of pistillate flowers with short, excurrent midrib, (1.5–)2–2.5 mm, equaling tepals or nearly so, apex acute or acuminate; of staminate flowers with prominent midribs, 2–3.5 mm, shorter than tepals, apex acute.

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

mostly terminal, spikes to panicles, erect to nodding, rarely with axillary clusters in proximal part of plant.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

tepals 5, equal or subequal, 3 mm, apex obtuse to subacute;

inner tepals with apex indistinctly mucronulate;

stamens 5.

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

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

tepals spatulate, 1.5–2.5 mm, apex obtuse, with terminal mucro;

style branches ± erect;

stigmas 2–3.

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

dark reddish brown, (0.9–)1–1.2 mm diam., shiny.

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

light brown to brown, subglobose, 1.5–2 mm, shorter than tepals, walls thin, usually smooth.