Flora of North America species comparison

fibrous or tuberous-thickened, fleshy.

twining to 5 m, often producing single or clustered axillary tubers.

herbaceous, not ridged, to 3 cm diam.;

epidermis scaly and exfoliating with age;

aerial tubers axillary, basal, or absent.

petiole 6–12 mm;

blade ovate to orbicular, 2–10 × 1–7 cm, base of larger leaf blades proximal to inflorescences cordate, base of small distal leaf blades tapering, apex obtuse to acute.

petiolate to subsessile;

blade orbicular to elliptic, ovate, or cordate, base cuneate to truncate or cordate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate or obtuse.

racemes or in branched panicles of racemes, 10–35(–60) cm;

single bract subtending each pedicel triangular-lanceolate, 1–2 × 0.3–0.4 mm; paired bracts subtending each flower persistent, triangular to obtuse, 0.6–1 × 0.5–0.6 mm, basally connate into cup.

indeterminate, axillary or terminal, racemose or clusters of racemes;

bracts persistent or deciduous, connate or distinct, membranous to succulent.

bisexual, usually functionally staminate;

sepals basally adnate to petals, cream-white, not winged in fruit, ovate to elliptic, 1.2–2.3 × 1.1–2 mm, apex obtuse;

petals basally connate, cream-white, ovate to elliptic, 2.1–3 × 1.4–2 mm, apex obtuse, spreading at anthesis;

stamens fleshy;

filaments basally connate and dilated, 1.9–3.5 mm;

anthers early deciduous, 0.7–0.9 mm;

pistils 0.4–0.6 mm;

styles 1–1.5 mm, basally connate for 1/2–2/3 their length;

stigmas clavate to capitate;

pedicel 1–3 mm.

bisexual or functionally unisexual, fragrant, pedicellate;

sepals distinct or basally connate, adaxially rounded to keeled, elliptic to ovate or obovate, basally adnate to petals, apex acute or obtuse;

petals 5, distinct ± to base, erect to spreading or reflexed at anthesis;

stamens opposite petals;

filaments recurved in bud, flattened and proximally dilated;

anthers versatile, dehiscence longitudinal;

pollen pantoporate, spheric;

pistils globose to ovoid;

stigmas clavate to capitate or 2-lobed.

erect, laterally flattened to nearly globose.

rarely producing viable seeds, style bases persistent, globose, 0.8–1.1 mm.

partly to completely enclosed in persistent, dry perianth, wing or not.

= 12.

= 24.