Flora of North America species comparison

compound thorns on trunks present;

twigs: new growth reddish brown, 1-year old dull purple-brown, 2-years old dull gray, older paler;

thorns on twigs straight to slightly recurved, 2-years old deep purple to shiny black, usually ± fine, 3–5 cm.

twigs: new growth usually appressed-pubescent, 1-year old usually dull yellowish to greenish brown or gray-brown to light or dark tan;

thorns on twigs variable, straight to slightly recurved, 1-year old shiny, dark mahogany or black, ± slender to ± stout, 3–6 cm.

petiole length 50–66% blade, sparsely glandular;

blade trullate to ovate, ovate-oblong, or broadly rhombic, rarely ± deltate, 2–6(–7) cm, subcoriaceous, base broadly cuneate to subtruncate to weakly subcordate, lobes (1–)3 or 4 per side, sinuses shallow to deeper, lobe apex acute, sometimes ± obtuse, margins serrate, veins 5 or 6 per side (except smaller leaves), apex acute, surfaces glabrous (except var. virella).

petiole length 50% blade, usually narrowly winged distally, pubescent, glandular young, often persisting;

blade yellow or purplish in very dry spots (fall), ± rhombic to rhombic-ovate, rhombic-obovate, or ovate to broadly elliptic, on extension shoots similar, larger, 2–5(–7.5) cm, thin to chartaceous, base ± cuneate, sometimes rounded to broadly ovate (at early anthesis not strikingly flabellate), lobes 2–4(–6) per side, sinuses moderately deep, lobe apex acute to subacute, margins serrate, teeth glands caducous, numerous, small, veins 3–5(–7) per side, apex acute or subacute, abaxial surface glabrous, sparsely pilose-glabrescent, or villous, veins usually pubescent, adaxial appressed-scabrous, glabrescent or short-appressed-pubescent.

5–10-flowered;

branches glabrous, sometimes sparsely villous;

bracteoles caducous, usually few, margins short-stipitate-glandular.

5–10-flowered, compact;

branches sparsely to densely villous, rarely glabrous;

bracteoles usually hyaline, linear, membranous, margins sessile- or short-stipitate-glandular.

15–25 mm diam.;

sepals narrowly triangular, 5–6 mm, margins usually entire or subentire, rarely glandular-serrate, abaxially glabrous;

stamens (10 or)20, anthers pale pink to bright rose or dull purple, sometimes cream, 0.6–0.8 mm;

styles 3–5.

15–20 mm diam.;

hypanthium usually villous, sometimes glabrous;

sepals triangular, 4 mm, margins glandular-serrate, apex subacute to obtuse, abaxially pubescent;

stamens (5–)10(or 20), anthers cream or ivory, sometimes pink;

styles 3 or 4(or 5).

greenish with pink or mauve areas, sometimes bright crimson or scarlet, often rather angular, 10–20 mm diam., highly pruinose, not punctate;

flesh hard;

sepals on collar, spreading;

pyrenes 3–5.

scarlet to deep red, only darkened to burgundy if dried and shriveled (except in var. vernonensis), usually suborbicular to broadly ellipsoid or oblong, 8–10(–12) mm diam., pubescent or glabrous;

sepal remnants present, spreading to reflexed, not or rarely obscurely elevated;

pyrenes 3 or 4(or 5).

= 68.