Flora of North America species comparison

erect or ascending proximally, much-branched especially near base, 0.1–0.7 m. Leaves: 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.

erect or sometimes ascending proximally, much-branched and bushy, rarely nearly simple, 0.3–1(–2) m; each node with paired, divergent spines (modified bracts) to 1.5(–2.5) cm.

petiole ± equaling or longer than blade;

blade rhombic-ovate, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, 3–10(–15) × 1.5–6 cm, base broadly cuneate, margins entire, plane or slightly undulate, apex acute or subobtuse to indistinctly emarginate, mucronulate.

lanceolate to linear-subulate, 1.3–3.5 mm, slightly longer than tepals.

of pistillate flowers lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, shorter than tepals, apex attenuate.

axillary clusters, toward apex aggregated in spikes (rarely spicate panicles), axes, leafy (occasionally almost leafless distally).

simple or compound terminal staminate spikes and axillary subglobose mostly pistillate clusters, erect or with reflexed or nodding tips, usually green to silvery green.

mostly at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5, equal or subequal;

stamens 3(–5).

often terminal or in proximal glomerules;

tepals 5, equal or subequal, 1.7–2.5 mm;

stamens 5.

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.

tepals 5, obovate-lanceolate or spatulate-lanceolate, equal or subequal, 1.2–2 mm, apex mucronate or short-aristate;

styles erect or spreading;

stigmas 3.

black, subglobose to broadly lenticular, 1 mm diam., smooth, shiny.

black, lenticular or subglobose-lenticular, 0.7–1 mm diam., smooth, shiny.

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

ovoid to subglobose, 1.5–2.5 mm, membranaceous proximally, wrinkled and spongy or inflated distally, irregularly dehiscent or indehiscent.