Flora of North America species comparison

sparsely branched, 3–8(–10) dm;

branches very stout, obtusely angled, sparsely scurfy when young.

mostly alternate;

petiole (0.5–)1–2(–2.5) cm;

blade bright green, oblong to lanceolate or hastate-lanceolate or -ovate, 20–90(–125) × 8–60(–70) mm, base rounded to cuneate, with proximal lobe often the largest and antrorse, margin entire or repand-denticulate, apex obtuse or acute, sparsely scurfy when young, becoming more slender and usually entire upwards.

alternate, except the proximal-most;

petiole 0.5–1.5(–2) cm;

blade green on both sides, ovate to oblong or lanceolate to oblong, deltoid-oblong, or linear, 9–100 × 1–50 mm, base mostly rounded to tapering or more rarely broadly cuneate from a hastate base, margin entire or repand denticulate, apex acute or acuminate or more rarely obtuse, glabrous or nearly so.

in short, dense, usually leafy, axillary or terminal spikes and in axillary glomerules, staminate ones 4-merous.

glomerate in rather loose, spiciform inflorescences, and in axillary clusters;

staminate ones 4–5-merous.

dark brown (no black seeds observed), 2.8–3.5 mm broad;

radicle inferior to subascending.

dimorphic: some small, black (lacking? in var. alaskensis), convex, 1.5–2 mm wide, lustrous, others pale brown, flat, 1.5–3.5 mm wide;

radicle inferior or subascending.

bracteoles sessile, oblong to ovate-orbiculate, or ovate to triangular, sometimes broader than long, 4–14 mm, united only at rounded base, margin entire or with (1 or)2 or more teeth, apex acute or acutish, or sometimes rounded, faces not appendaged, only apex foliaceous.

bracteoles darkening at maturity, sessile or stipitate, ovate or oblong to orbiculate, longest ones strap-shaped or ovate-lanceolate, mainly 4–10 mm, distinct nearly to base, margin entire or with (1 or) 2 or more teeth, apex acuminate to acute, often bulging on both sides of the impressed midnerve, at first mealy, finally glabrate.

= 54.