Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green, 6–22 cm, appressed-hairy;

nodes 4–6, internodes progressively longer distally;

branches only at distalmost node, much shorter than distal internodes so stems appear unbranched.

clustered, branches occasionally arching to ground and rooting at nodes;

bark green-tan or maroon-tan, not corky, appearing braided, splitting longitudinally;

branchlets green abaxially, maroon to green adaxially, turning red-maroon in fall, densely erect-hairy when young;

lenticels not protruding on 2d year branches, area surrounding them not suffused with purple on older branches;

pith tan or brown.

at proximal 2–4 nodes nonchlorophyllous, opposite, ± scalelike, caducous (rarely chlorophyllous at 3d node from apex but much smaller than more distal leaves), at 2d node from apex nonchlorophyllous proximally, chlorophyllous distally, opposite, well developed, persistent, at distalmost node chlorophyllous, appearing to be in whorl of 6, well developed, persistent;

distalmost leaves much bigger than those at 2 more proximal nodes;

petiole 0–3.4 mm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 3.5–8 × 0.9–4 cm, apex acute or short acuminate, abaxial surface pale green, hairs sparsely appressed-hairy, adaxial surface green, appressed-hairy;

secondary veins 3 per side, all arising from proximal 1/2.

petiole 8–25 mm;

blade broadly ovate, 8–15 × 4–9 cm, base rounded or truncate, apex abruptly acuminate, abaxial surface yellow-green, hairs brown, tan, or white, both appressed and rigid and others erect and curling on same leaf, tufts of hairs absent in axils of secondary veins, midvein and secondary veins densely tomentose, adaxial surface light to dark green, hairs appressed;

secondary veins (4–)5–6 per side, most arising from proximal 1/2, tertiary veins perpendicular to secondary veins, ladderlike.

20–40-flowered;

peduncle 13–30 mm;

primary branches 0–2 mm;

bracts greenish white or white, often red-tipped, unequal, 2 ovate, 21–30 × 12–13 mm, 2 suborbiculate, 17–1.9 × 13–16 mm, apex acuminate.

flat-topped or convex, 2–8 cm diam., peduncle 15–80 mm;

branches and pedicels green or greenish yellow, turning maroon in fruit.

0.4–1.6 mm, sparsely appressed-hairy or glabrous.

hypanthium cream to mottled purple, 1.2–2 mm, densely appressed-hairy;

sepals mottled purple and cream, 0.1–0.4 mm, apex rounded or acute, thick, sparsely hairy on margin, densely glandular;

petals cream proximally, purple distally, 1.5–1.8 mm, apical awn 0.4–0.6 mm;

nectary dark purple or black.

hypanthium densely appressed-hairy, especially at base;

sepals 1.3–2 mm;

petals cream, 3–5 mm.

10–20 per inflorescence, red, globose, 6–8 mm;

stone globose or subglobose, 2.7–3.4 × 2.1–3.4 mm, longitudinally grooved, apex slightly pointed.

blue, portion in direct sunlight bleached white, globose, 5–9 mm diam.;

stone globose, 4–6 mm diam., irregularly longitudinally ridged, apex pointed.

= 44.

= 22.