Flora of North America species comparison

thin, rarely tuberous.

2-ranked, gradually reduced toward ends of flowering stems;

blade ovate to lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, 1–3.5 × 0.6–1 cm (distal leaf blades much narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), margins scabrid, apex acute, glabrous.

spirally arranged or 2-ranked;

blade sessile.

sessile in axils of distal leaves of flowering stems, composed of pairs of sessile cymes (sometimes reduced to single cymes).

terminal and/or axillary, cyme pairs (often aggregated into larger spikelike or paniclelike units), cymes sessile, umbel-like, contracted, subtended by bracts;

bracts inconspicuous, less than 1 cm; spathaceous bracts absent;

bracteoles persistent.

bisexual and pistillate, odorless, subsessile;

petals inconspicuous, white, lanceolate, 3–6 mm;

stamens 0–6, long-exserted;

filaments glabrous;

ovary 2-locular, stigma penicillate.

bisexual (bisexual and pistillate in C. repens), radially symmetric;

pedicels very short or well developed;

sepals distinct, subequal;

petals distinct, white or pink to rose [rarely blue], equal, not clawed;

stamens 6 or 0–3, all fertile, equal;

filaments glabrous or bearded;

ovary 2–3-locular, ovules [1–]2 per locule, 1-seriate.

2-locular.

2–3-valved, 2–3-locular.

1 mm.

[1-]2 per locule;

hilum punctiform;

embryotega abaxial.

= 6–8.