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 densely pubescent, 1-year old sparsely pubescent, 2-years old shiny, dark blackish brown to dark gray, glabrous, older dark gray;

thorns on twigs absent or few, straight to slightly recurved, 2-years old black, ± narrow, 3 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).

deciduous;

petiole length 5–15% blade, pubescent, sometimes glandular;

blade elliptic to rhombic-elliptic, 4–5(–6) cm, ± coriaceous, base cuneate, lobes 1–3 per side, sinuses extremely shallow, lobe apex subacute, margins toothed, teeth large, acute or subacute except near base, sharp or obtuse, eglandular, tapered to bases, venation craspedodromous, veins 4–6 per side, apex subacute, adaxial surfaces matte, appressed-pubescent young, abaxial very sparsely pubescent, glabrescent, veins persistently densely pubescent.

5–10-flowered;

branches glabrous, sometimes sparsely villous;

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

2–8(–20)-flowered;

branches very densely appressed-pubescent;

bracteoles caducous, few, linear, membranous, margins glandular, sometimes larger (15 × 3 mm), more herbaceous in basal parts.

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 densely pubescent;

sepals narrowly triangular, 6–8 mm, ± equal to petals, ± foliaceous, margins glandular-laciniate, abaxial surface slightly pubescent;

stamens 20, anthers cream, pink, or red;

styles 3–5.

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.

straw yellow to ruddy, suborbicular, 7–9 mm diam., hairy;

sepals reflexed;

pyrenes 3–5, dorsally grooved, sides usually shallowly eroded.