Flora of North America species comparison

prostrate to ascending, spreading, 3–40 cm.

prostrate to erect, branched;

nodes glabrous.

blades linear to oblanceolate, 1–10 cm, glabrous or with elongate, 1-cellular hairs.

alternate, not articulate at base, somewhat to markedly clasping, attachment points linear;

blade linear to oblanceolate, or ovate to spatulate, flattened, glabrous or with elongate unicellular hairs.

racemose, somewhat to markedly secund (at least distally), elongate, bracteate;

bracts leaflike.

sepals 2.5–8 mm;

petals 4–15 mm;

stamens 3–15;

pedicel ± straight in fruit, 0.4–2.5 cm.

pedicellate;

sepals persistent in fruit, imbricate, green, distinctly angled or keeled, ovate, herbaceous, glabrous or with elongate, unicellular hairs;

petals usually 5, red;

stamens 3–15, usually opposite petals, not adnate to petals;

ovules 6–many;

style present;

stigmas 3.

usually not exceeding calyx by 3+ mm.

3-valved, longitudinally dehiscent from apex, valves not deciduous, reflexed after dehiscence, margins markedly involute;

endocarp and exocarp not separating.

10–20, 1–2.5 mm wide, finely reticulate at 30x.

10–20, black, ± ellipsoid, reticulate or tuberculate viewed at 30x, glabrous, estrophiolate.

= 12.

= 24.