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.

erect to ascending, much-branched from base, 0.3–1 m. Leaves: petiole shorter than blade;

blade ovate, or rhombic-ovate to elliptic, 1.5–4 × 0.5–2 cm, thick, coarse, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire, plane or irregularly undulate, apex rounded-obtuse to emarginate, 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, 1.5–2.5 mm, shorter than tepals, apex acute or acuminate; of staminate flowers 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, usually erect, thick, flexible.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

tepals 5, equal, 2–3 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 with dark, prominent midrib not excurrent, spatulate, subequal, 2–3 mm, apex obtuse to subacute, with terminal mucro;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3.

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

dark brown, 1.2–1.7 mm diam., shiny.

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

light brown, elliptic, 3 mm, equaling tepals, walls somewhat fleshy, smooth, indehiscent.