Flora of North America species comparison

(tuberiform, fragile), with ovoid to oblong or cylindrical nodal swellings, slender, 2–5 mm diam., (fleshy).

erect, ascending, decumbent, or prostrate, unbranched or branched.

erect, unbranched, 0.5–2(–3) dm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent distally.

cauline, rhizomal, or basal;

rhizomal and basal rosulate or not, petiolate, blade margins entire, toothed, or 1–3-pinnatisect, or palmately lobed, sometimes trifoliolate, pinnately, palmately, or bipinnately compound (leaflets petiolulate, subsessile, or sessile);

cauline (usually alternate, rarely opposite or whorled) petiolate or sessile, blade (base cuneate, attenuate, or auriculate to sagittate), margins entire, dentate, or variously lobed, (leaflets petiolulate or sessile).

simple or 3 (or 5)-foliolate, (3–)4–20(–25) cm, leaflets petiolulate or subsessile;

petiole (2–)3–18(–21) cm;

lateral leaflets (when present) petiolulate to subsessile, blade similar to terminal, sometimes smaller;

terminal leaflet (subsessile or petiolule 0.2–3 cm), blade (simple leaf or terminal leaflet) reniform to suborbicular or ovate to oblong, (0.9–)1.3–4(–5.2) cm × (8–)12–50(–70) mm, base cordate to obtuse, margins crenate, dentate, or 5–7-lobed, (apiculae terminating teeth or lobes, surfaces glabrous).

1–3, 3 (or 5)-foliolate, (appearing palmate), petiolate, leaflets petiolulate or sessile;

petiole (0.2–)0.5–2(–3) cm, base not auriculate;

lateral leaflets sessile, blade similar to terminal, smaller;

terminal leaflet petiolulate or sessile, blade broadly ovate to oblong or linear, (0.5–)1–3.5(–6) cm, margins usually entire or dentate, rarely lobed.

(corymbose or paniculate, bracteate in C. pattersonii), elongated in fruit.

ebracteate.

sepals (caducous), usually erect, rarely spreading or ascending, ovate or oblong, lateral pair saccate or not basally, (usually glabrous, rarely pubescent);

petals (rarely absent), white, pink, purple, or lilac, obovate, spatulate, or oblanceolate, claw absent or strongly differentiated from blade, (apex obtuse, rounded, emarginate, or subemarginate);

stamens (6, rarely 4), equal in length;

filaments not dilated basally;

anthers ovate, oblong, or linear, (apex obtuse), glabrous [rarely pubescent];

nectar glands confluent, lateral glands annular or semiannular, subtending bases of stamens, median glands present (2, rarely 4) or absent.

sepals oblong, 3.5–5 × 1.5–2 mm, lateral pair saccate basally;

petals usually purple to pale pink, rarely white, obovate, 10–15 × 4–7.5 mm, (not clawed, apex rounded);

filaments: median pairs 5–8 mm, lateral pair 3.5–5 mm;

anthers oblong, 1.5–2 mm.

erect, ascending, divaricate, or reflexed, slender or stout.

ascending to divaricate, 10–35 mm.

siliques, sessile, usually linear, rarely narrowly oblong or narrowly lanceolate, smooth or torulose, latiseptate;

valves (papery, elastically dehiscent, becoming spirally or circinately coiled) each not veined, glabrous or, rarely, pubescent;

replum strongly flattened;

septum complete, (membranous);

ovules 4–80 per ovary;

style usually distinct, rarely obsolete;

stigma capitate.

linear, 2.5–5.6 cm × 2–2.3 mm;

ovules 8–16 per ovary;

style 4–8 mm.

uniseriate, flattened, usually not winged, rarely margined or winged, oblong, ovoid, or globose;

seed coat (smooth, minutely reticulate, colliculate, or rugose) mucilaginous or not when wetted;

cotyledons accumbent, rarely incumbent.

dark brown, oblong, 2–2.5 × 1.4–1.6 mm.

= 7, 8.