Flora of North America species comparison

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

proximal branches often ascending.

erect or ascending proximally, much-branched especially near base, 0.1–0.7 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 less than 1/2 as long as blade;

blade oblanceolate or lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, (1.2–)1.5–5(–7) × 0.3–2 cm, base narrowly cuneate to cuneate, margins entire, plane or slightly undulate, apex acute to subobtuse, 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, 1.3–3.5 mm, slightly longer than 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 clusters, toward apex aggregated in spikes (rarely spicate panicles), axes, leafy (occasionally almost leafless 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.

mostly at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5, equal or subequal;

stamens 3(–5).

tepals 1.7–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, mucronulate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2(–3).

tepals 5, spatulate to narrowly spatulate, clawed, equal or subequal, 1.5–2.5 mm, margins entire, apex obtuse, rounded, or slightly emarginate;

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

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

black, subglobose to broadly lenticular, 1 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.

obovoid to subglobose-obovoid, 1.5–2 mm, nearly equaling or slightly shorter than tepals, smooth, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.