Flora of North America species comparison

erect, branched, usually (0.3–)0.5–1.5(–3) m;

proximal branches often ascending.

prostrate or ascending (very rarely suberect), much-branched (usually from base), (0.1–)0.2–0.6(–1) m.

long-petiolate;

blade obovate or rhombic-obovate to elliptic proximally, sometimes lanceolate distally, 1.5–7 × 1–3.5 cm, base broadly to narrowly cuneate, margins entire, plane, apex subobtuse to acute, usually with terminal mucro.

petiole ± 1/2 as long as blade;

blade obovate, elliptic, or spatulate, 1–2(–4) × 0.5–1(–1.5) cm, base cuneate and tapering, margins usually entire, plane, rarely slightly undulate, apex obtuse, rounded, mucronulate.

of pistillate flowers with long-excurrent midrib, 4–6 mm, longer than tepals, apex acuminate or mucronulate; of staminate flowers, 4 mm, equaling or longer than outer tepals, apex long-acuminate.

of pistillate flowers narrow, thin, 1.5–5 mm, ± equaling or slightly exceeding tepals.

terminal, linear spikes to panicles, usually drooping, occasionally erect, especially when young, with few axillary clusters, uninterrupted or interrupted in proximal part of plant.

axillary glomerules, green.

tepals 5, unequal, 2–4 mm, apex acute;

inner tepals with prominent midrib excurrent as rigid spine, apex long-acuminate or mucronulate;

stamens 5.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 3(–4);

stamens 3.

tepals 1.7–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, mucronulate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2(–3).

tepals (3–)4–5, narrowly ovate to broadly linear, unequal or subequal, 1.5–3 mm, thin, apex acute or acuminate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3.

dark reddish brown to brown, 1–1.2 mm diam., shiny.

black, lenticular to broadly plumply lenticular, 1.3–1.6 mm diam., rather dull.

tan to brown, occasionally reddish brown, obovoid to subglobose, 1.5–2 mm, shorter than tepals, at maturity walls thin, almost smooth or indistinctly rugose.

broadly ovoid, 1.7–2.5 mm, equaling tepals, mostly smooth (slightly verrucose or rugose in dry plants), dehiscence regularly circumscissile.