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.

decumbent or erect, branched proximally, 0.7–1 m. Leaves: petiole 1/2–11/2 times as long as blade;

blade obovate or obovate-elliptic to oblanceolate, 1–2 × 0.5–1 cm, base cuneate to attenuate, margins entire, apex obtuse, rounded, or slightly emarginate, mucronate.

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

of pistillate flowers lanceolate, 2–4 mm, shorter than tepals.

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

axillary clusters extending to near base.

inconspicuous, mostly at tips of inflorescences;

tepals 3;

stamens 3.

intermixed with pistillate;

tepals 3, equal;

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 3, reflexed, ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, 3–5 mm, apex tapering and long-aristate;

style branches spreading;

stigmas 2.

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

black, subglobose or lenticular, 1–1.4 mm diam., semishiny (or minutely punctulate and reticulate).

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

ellipsoid or ellipsoid-ovoid, 2 mm, shorter than tepals, mostly smooth (or slightly rugose distally), dehiscence regularly circumscissile.