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, simple to sparingly branched distally, or occasionally basally, 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 shorter than to ± equaling blade;

blade rhombic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 1.5–6 × 0.5–3 cm, base broadly to narrowly cuneate, margins entire, plane to slightly undulate, apex obtuse to subacute, or shallowly 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.

linear-lanceolate to subulate, to 2 times as long as 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 and axillary in distal part of plant, erect, usually reddish green, branched, leafless at least distally, 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 4–5.

tepals 1.7–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, mucronulate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2(–3).

tepals 5, spatulate-linear, not clawed, subequal or unequal, 1.5–2 mm, membranaceous, apex emarginate or retuse to obtuse, outer tepals with apex rarely subacute;

style branches shorter than body of fruit;

stigmas 3.

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

dark reddish brown to nearly black, lenticular to subglobose-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.

subglobose to broadly obovoid, 1.3–2 mm, equal or subequal to tepals, smooth or slightly rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.