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, prostrate, or erect, not fleshy (fleshy in A. pumilus and A. californicus).

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

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

mostly or exclusively axillary, glomerules or short spikes, if terminal inflorescences also developed, then axillary clusters present to base of plant.

inconspicuous, mostly at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 3;

stamens 3.

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 usually (1–)3–5.

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

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

indehiscent, tardily dehiscent, or dehiscence circumscissile.