Flora of North America species comparison

erect, simple or with lateral branches (especially distally), 0.2–1 m. Leaves: petiole 1/2–11/2 as long as blade;

blade rhombic-ovate or ovate, 1–7 × 0.5–5 cm, base rounded, cuneate, or attenuate, margins entire, plane, apex obtuse, rounded, or emarginate, mucronate.

ascending or prostrate, much-branched from stout rootstock, 0.1–0.4 m. Leaves: petiole to 1/2 as long as blade;

blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1.5–8 × 0.2–0.5(–1) mm, base tapering, margins entire, plane to undulate, apex obtuse and often emarginate.

of pistillate flowers ovate to lanceolate, 1 mm, shorter than tepals.

of pistillate flowers linear, 0.7–1.2 mm, 1/2–2/3 as long as tepals.

slender spikes aggregated into elongate terminal panicles, also from distal axils, green, leafless at least distally.

terminal, compact pyramidal panicles and axillary glomerules, erect or reflexed, green, leafless at least distally.

inconspicuous, mostly at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 3;

stamens 3.

intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 5;

stamens 5.

tepals 3, narrowly elliptic, obovate-elliptic or spatulate, not clawed, ± equal, 1.2–1.7 mm, apex rounded or nearly acute, mucronate or not;

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

tepals 5, narrowly oblanceolate, not clawed, equal, 1.5–2 mm, apex obtuse or subacute;

style branches erect;

stigmas 3.

black or dark brown, subglobose to thick-lenticular, 1 mm diam., minutely punctulate, rather dull.

black, lenticular, 1–1.2 mm diam., semiglossy.

ovoid to compressed-ovoid, 1–1.6 mm, equaling or slightly exceeding tepals, prominently or faintly rugose, indehiscent.

compressed, subglobose, 1.7–2 mm, ± equaling or slightly exceeding tepals, muricate, indehiscent.