Flora of North America species comparison

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.

usually erect, green or reddish purple, branched, mainly in inflorescences, to nearly simple proximally, 0.4–2(–2.5) m, coarse.

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.

petiole of distal leaves equaling or slightly shorter than blade, becoming longer proximally;

blade rhombic-ovate to broadly lanceolate 4–12 × 2–7 cm, larger in robust plants, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, narrowly cuneate in distal leaves, margins entire, apex cuneate to obtuse or indistinctly emarginate, mucronulate.

lanceolate to subulate, (2.5–)3.5–5(–6) mm, exceeding tepals, apex acuminate with excurrent midrib.

lanceolate to linear-subulate, subspinescent, 3–6(–8) mm, to 2 times as long as tepals, rigid.

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.

predominantly terminal, often with few spikes at distal axils stiff, erect, dark red, purple, or deep beet-red, less commonly yellowish or greenish, leafless at least in distal part, usually robust.

few at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens (3–)4–5.

clustered at tips of inflorescence branches;

tepals 3–5;

stamens 3–5.

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.

tepals usually 5, proximal ones lanceolate, distal ones narrowly ovate-elliptic to elliptic, not clawed, unequal to occasionally subequal, 1.3–3(–3.5) mm, apex acute;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 3.

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

white, ivory, pinkish white, or black to dark reddish brown, subglobose to lenticular, 1–1.4 mm diam., smooth, shiny.

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.

compressed-ovoid to elongate-ovoid, (1.5–)2–3 mm, equaling tepals or nearly so, smooth or lid slightly rugose or minutely verrucose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile.