Flora of North America species comparison

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

usually erect, green or reddish purple, branched, mainly in inflorescences, to nearly simple proximally, 0.4–2(–2.5) m, coarse.

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 of distal leaves equaling or slightly shorter than blade, becoming longer proximally;

blade rhombic-ovate to broadly lanceolate 4–12 × 2–7 cm, larger in robust plants, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, narrowly cuneate in distal leaves, margins entire, apex cuneate to obtuse or indistinctly emarginate, mucronulate.

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

lanceolate to linear-subulate, subspinescent, 3–6(–8) mm, to 2 times as long as tepals, rigid.

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

predominantly terminal, often with few spikes at distal axils stiff, erect, dark red, purple, or deep beet-red, less commonly yellowish or greenish, leafless at least in distal part, usually robust.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

clustered at tips of inflorescence branches;

tepals 3–5;

stamens 3–5.

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

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

tepals usually 5, proximal ones lanceolate, distal ones narrowly ovate-elliptic to elliptic, not clawed, unequal to occasionally subequal, 1.3–3(–3.5) mm, apex acute;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3.

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

white, ivory, pinkish white, or black to dark reddish brown, subglobose to lenticular, 1–1.4 mm diam., smooth, shiny.

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

compressed-ovoid to elongate-ovoid, (1.5–)2–3 mm, equaling tepals or nearly so, smooth or lid slightly rugose or minutely verrucose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.