Flora of North America species comparison

basal and cauline;

petiole 0.5–3(–4) cm;

basal blade broadly elliptic to obovate, 0.5–2.5 × (0.3–)0.5–2 cm, thinly pubescent adaxially, more densely so to tomentose abaxially;

proximal cauline leaf soon deciduous, 1, blade similar to basal leaf blades only 1–2(–2.5) × 0.5–1.5 cm, mucronate to awn-tipped, awn mostly 2–4 mm;

distal cauline leaf blade persistent, 1 per node, sessile, blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 0.1–1.5 × 0.05–0.15 cm, becoming hard and thornlike with age.

basal;

petiole 1–3(–6) cm;

blade oblanceolate, 0.5–2(–4) × 0.1–0.4(–1) cm, villous.

with involucres in dense clusters in axils of bracts, these on short shoots and each subtended by cauline leaves;

bracts 2, subopposite to opposite, linear, 0.5–1(–1.2) cm × 1–2 mm, awns straight, 2–4 mm.

cymose, dichotomously branched throughout, white to greenish or reddish;

bracts usually 2, similar to proximal leaf blades, typically with whorl of 3–5 ca. midstem, short-petiolate, becoming linear and aciculate at distal nodes, acerose, 0.5–2(–3) cm × 1–5(–10) mm, awns absent.

1, greenish, urceolate, 3-ribbed, 2–3 mm, corrugate, pubescent, rarely villous near base in some;

teeth 3, unequal, with thickened anterior tooth toward base, 5–10 mm, sometimes expanding and becoming lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, others 0.5–1.2 mm;

awns straight.

congested in small leafy terminal clusters of 2–4 at nodes of dichotomies, greenish, cylindric, slightly ventricose basally, 3–5 mm, with conspicuous, purple, broad, membranous margins typically extending across sinuses, finely corrugated, hispid at least along ridges, otherwise sparsely pubescent;

teeth spreading, equal, (0.7–)1–1.5 mm, awns straight, 0.5–1 mm.

1–2, included to slightly exserted;

perianth yellow, cylindric, 1.5–1.8 mm, densely pubescent abaxially;

tepals connate ca. 2/3 their length, monomorphic, oblong, rounded, entire apically;

stamens 9, slightly exserted;

filaments distinct, 0.5–1 mm, glabrous;

anthers yellowish, ovate, 0.2–0.3 mm.

exserted;

perianth white to rose, cylindric, 3.5–4(–4.5) mm, slightly pubescent abaxially;

tepals connate 2/3 their length, monomorphic, obovate, 2-lobed or denticulate apically, infrequently inner whorl entire;

stamens 9, slightly exserted;

filaments distinct, 3–4 mm, glabrous;

anthers pink to red, oblong, 0.5–0.6 mm.

brown, 3-gonous, (1.5–)1.8–2.2 mm.

light brown, globose-lenticular, 3.5–4 mm.

= 38, 40.

= 40.