Flora of North America species comparison

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

proximal branches often ascending.

erect or ascending, often whitish or tinged with red, usually branched distally, sometimes proximally, to nearly simple, 0.2–1 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 usually longer than or ± equaling blade;

blade rhombic-ovate, ovate, obovate, or elliptic, 1–4.5 × 0.5–2.5 cm, usually somewhat fleshy, base cuneate, margins entire, apex obtuse to 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 linear-lanceolate, 5–10 mm, longer than tepals, apex spinescent.

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, usually unbranched, stout spikes and axillary clusters, erect, usually greenish or reddish, 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.

few at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 3–5.

tepals 1.7–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, mucronulate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2(–3).

tepals 5, elongate, not clawed, unequal or subequal, 1.5–2.5 mm, apex obtuse to subacute;

style branches elongated, shorter than body of fruit;

stigmas 3.

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

black, lenticular to subglobose-lenticular, 1–1.2 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 to broadly obovoid, 1.3–2.5 mm, equal or subequal to tepals, shorter than style branches, smooth or slightly rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.