Flora of North America species comparison

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

prostrate, whitish or tinged with red, much-branched from base, 0.1–0.5 m, rather fleshy.

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 1/2 or less as long as blade;

blade pale green, veins prominent, obovate, spatulate, or oblanceolate to linear, 0.3–2(–3) × 0.2–1.5 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, plane or slightly undulate, apex obtuse to subacute, with prominent mucro.

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

of pistillate flowers linear, 0.5–1 mm, ± equaling tepals.

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

axillary clusters borne from bases to tops of plants.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals (2–)3;

stamens 3.

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

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

tepals 1–3, narrowly lanceolate, unequal, usually with only 1 well-developed tepal, largest 1–1.2 mm, apex acute to acuminate;

stigmas 3.

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

very dark reddish brown, lenticular, (0.6–)0.7–1 mm diam., shiny.

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

subglobose, 1–1.2 mm, smooth or wrinkled (especially in dry plants), dehiscence regularly circumscissile or tardily dehiscent.