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 sometimes reddish purple, branched, mainly in inflorescences, to nearly simple, 0.3–1.5(–2) m, stiff.

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 mostly equaling or longer than blade;

blade rhombic-ovate to broadly lanceolate, 4–8 × 2–3 cm, occasionally larger in robust plants, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, margins entire, apex cuneate to obtuse or indistinctly emarginate, with mucro.

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, 4–7 mm, 2–3 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.

mostly terminal, usually with spikes at distal axils, erect and rigid, green to silvery green, occasionally tinged red, leafless at least distally.

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 3–5, not clawed, unequal;

outer tepals narrowly ovate-elliptic or elliptic, 1.5–3.5 mm, apex aristate;

style branches spreading, shorter than body of fruit;

stigmas 3.

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

black, 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.

subglobose or compressed-ovoid, 2–3 mm, equaling or shorter than tepals, smooth or lid slightly rugose or minutely verrucose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.