Flora of North America species comparison

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

proximal branches often ascending.

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

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 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 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.

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

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

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.

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

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

stamens 5.

clustered at tips of inflorescence branches;

tepals 3–5;

stamens 3–5.

tepals 1.7–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, mucronulate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2(–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.

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

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

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.

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.