Flora of North America species comparison

branched, capillary or fibrous.

1–10 cm.

subterranean stems tubers, rhizomes, or woody caudices, sometimes with multiple forms on single individuals (e.g., C. umbellata and C. tuberosa);

aerial stems erect or decumbent;

nodes glabrous.

basal leaves in flattened to suberect rosettes, 0.5–6 cm, blade with strong red pigmentation even in juvenile plants, narrowly rhombic to ovate, spatulate, or trullate, 0.5–1.5 × 0.5–1 cm, apex obtuse;

cauline leaves distinct or connate on 1 side or perfoliate, sessile, blade ovate.

basal and cauline, not articulate at base, somewhat to markedly clasping, attachment points linear;

basal leaves few to several in rosettes, blade linear, lanceolate, oblanceolate, spatulate, trullate, rhomboid, ovate, or deltate, apex obtuse to apiculate;

cauline leaves 2 and opposite, rarely 3 and whorled, distinct or partially or completely connate, or perfoliate, blade linear to ovate.

1-bracteate;

bract leaflike, 0.5–15 mm.

terminal, racemose or umbellate, secund, bracteate;

bracts leaflike or membranous and scalelike.

2–5 mm diam.;

sepals 1.5–2.5 mm;

petals 2–3 mm, pinkish white to white;

ovules 3.

showy;

sepals persistent, leaflike, unequal;

petals 5;

stamens 5, adnate to petal bases;

ovary globose, ovules 3 or 6;

style 1;

stigmas 3.

3-valved, longitudinally dehiscent from apex, valves not deciduous, margins hygroscopic, involute.

2–3 mm diam., shiny and smooth;

elaiosome 1–2 mm.

(1–)3–6, black, rounded, shiny and smooth to tuberculate, with white elaiosome;

seeds dispersed ballistically and by ants.

= 5, 6, 7, 8.

= 12, 24, 36.