Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect, often branched, 0.8–1.5 m.

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 as long as blade;

blade ovate, elliptic, rhombic, or lanceolate, mostly 4–12 × 1.4–6 cm, base tapering, margins entire, usually undulate, apex acuminate and short-mucronate;

distal leaf blades green, red, scarlet, maroon, purple, yellow, and cream (unique to A. tricolor).

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

of pistillate flowers ovate to lanceolate, 5–6 mm.

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

axillary glomerules.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 3;

stamens 3.

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

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

tepals 3, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 5–6 mm, apex aristate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2–3.

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

black or brownish black, subglobose, 1 mm diam., shiny.

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

ovoid, 2–2.5 mm, rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.