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.

ascending to erect, usually much-branched, 0.1–1 m;

branches usually ascending.

petiole shorter than or equaling blade;

blade ovate, obovate to elliptic, or oblong-elliptic, 1–8 × 0.5–4 cm, base broadly cuneate to nearly rounded, margins entire, plane or slightly undulate, apex obtuse to emarginate, usually with terminal mucro.

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

of pistillate flowers with long-excurrent midrib, 3–4 mm, longer than tepals, apex long-acuminate or mucronulate; of staminate flowers 2.5–4 mm, usually equaling outer tepals, apex long-acuminate or mucronulate.

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

mostly terminal, erect spikes to panicles, usually thick and uninterrupted, with few axillary clusters in basal part of plant.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

tepals 5, equal or subequal, 1.5–2(–3) mm, apex acute or almost obtuse;

inner tepal apex acuminate or mucronulate;

stamens 3–5.

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

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

tepals with dark midribs not excurrent, spatulate to fan-shaped, 1.7–2.2 mm, apex obtuse, with terminal mucro;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2(–3).

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

dark reddish brown to nearly black, (0.8–)1–1.2 mm diam., shiny.

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

light brown to brown, obovoid to subglobose, 1.5–2 mm, shorter than tepals, walls thin, smooth or indistinctly rugose.