Flora of North America species comparison

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

proximal branches often ascending.

erect, reddish near base, branched in distal part to simple 0.2–1.5(–2) m; underdeveloped or damaged plants rarely ascending to nearly prostrate.

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 to equaling blade;

blade ovate to rhombic-ovate, 2–15 × 1–7 cm, base cuneate to rounded-cuneate, margins entire, plane or slightly undulate, apex acute, obtuse, or slightly emarginate, with terminal 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 subulate, (2.5–)3.5–5(–6) mm, exceeding tepals, apex acuminate with excurrent midrib.

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

terminal and axillary, erect or reflexed at tip, green or silvery green, often with reddish or yellowish tint, branched, leafless at least distally, usually short and thick.

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

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

stamens 5.

few at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (3–)4–5.

tepals 1.7–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, mucronulate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2(–3).

tepals 5, spatulate-obovate, lanceolate-spatulate, not clawed, subequal or unequal, (2–)2.5–3.5(–4) mm, membranaceous, apex emarginate or obtuse, with mucro;

style branches erect or slightly spreading,;

stigmas 3.

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

black to dark reddish brown, lenticular to subglobose-lenticular, 1–1.3 mm, 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.

broadly obovoid to broadly elliptic, 1.5–2.5 mm, shorter than or subequal to tepals, smooth or slightly rugose, especially near base and in distal part, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.