Flora of North America species comparison

filiform.

1–100+, erect to ascending or sprawling, green, 3–40+ cm;

internodes terete to ellipsoid, 2–8 times as long as leaves, dull, retrorsely pubescent throughout, sometimes also stipitate-glandular.

often connate basally, with scarious or mostly herbaceous sheath 0.2–0.3 mm, petiolate (proximal leaves) or usually sessile;

petiole 1–4 mm;

blade 3–5 veined, elliptic to broadly ovate or rarely orbiculate, 2–7 × 1–4 mm, herbaceous, margins flat, herbaceous, dull, ciliate especially proximally, apex acute to acuminate, pustulate, sparsely minutely pubescent or glabrous;

axillary leaf clusters absent.

terminal, open, leafy, 3–50+-flowered cymes.

erect or ascending in fruit, 1–12 mm, retrorsely pubescent.

sepals green, often prominently 3-veined, not keeled, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate (herbaceous portion narrowly elliptic to broadly lanceolate), 2–3 mm, to 4 mm in fruit, apex narrowly acute to acuminate, ± minutely pustulate, stipitate-glandular;

petals oblong, 0.6–2.7 mm, 1/5–3/4 times as long as sepals, apex obtuse to rounded.

loosely enclosed by calyx, ovoid to cylindric-ovoid, 3–3.5 mm, 4/5–11/5 times as long as sepals.

10–15, ashy black, reniform, plump, 0.4–0.6 mm, not shiny, with low-elongate, prominent tubercules.