Flora of North America species comparison

erect or ascending, (much-branched);

twigs hairy to glabrescent.

erect to decumbent, sprawling, creeping, trailing, prostrate, or procumbent.

persistent, opposite;

petiole absent;

blade coriaceous, margins spinulose-ciliate.

deciduous or persistent, usually alternate, sometimes opposite, whorled, or spirally arranged;

petiole usually present;

blade plane or acicular, abaxial groove present or absent.

terminal or axillary, racemes or panicles, 5–30-flowered;

perulae absent.

axillary or terminal, fascicles, racemes, panicles, capitula, cymes, umbels, corymbs, spikes, or solitary flowers;

perulae present or absent;

bracts much shorter than sepals (sometimes absent).

bisexual, radially symmetric;

sepals 4, distinct;

petals 4, barely connate basally, corolla persistent, campanulate;

stamens 8, included;

anthers with awns, dehiscent by lateral slits;

ovary 5-locular, (ovoid);

style slightly exserted, straight;

stigma capitate.

bisexual or unisexual, erect or pendulous, usually radially or bilaterally symmetric;

sepals (2-)4-5(-7);

petals absent or (2-)4-5(-7), connate or distinct, corolla deciduous or persistent, campanulate, salverform, rotate, saucer-shaped, funnelform, cylindric, or urceolate, (with pockets holding anthers until they open in some Kalmia), lobes shorter than tube;

intrastaminal nectary disc present;

stamens (2-)5-10;

anthers dehiscent by lateral pores or slits;

ovary (2-)5-10-locular;

placentation axile (parietal distally in Epigaea);

style straight or declinate (curved in Elliottia).

capsular, globose, dehiscence septifragal.

capsular, dehiscence usually septicidal, sometimes loculicidal or septifragal, or drupaceous, (dry to fleshy), indehiscent.

ca. 5–10, ellipsoid, not winged, not tailed;

testa (firm), ± alveolate-reticulate.

2-300, distinct, obovoid, ovoid, or ellipsoid to oblong, linear, fusiform, or planoconvex, winged or not.

= 8.