Flora of North America species comparison

alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 45°.

opposite or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 30°.

blue-green, becoming gray with age, glaucous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves;

internodes 2–5 cm.

pale to dark green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, slightly to strongly scabrous, with numerous longitudinal grooves;

internodes 1–6 cm.

in whorls of 3, 2–5 mm, connate to 2/3 their length;

bases becoming gray and shredded with age;

apex acute.

opposite (rarely in whorls of 3), 1–3(–5) mm, connate to 1/2–7/8 their length;

bases thickened, brown, shredding with age, ± persistent;

apex obtuse.

1–4 at node, ovoid, 6–8 mm, sessile;

bracts in 6–9 whorls of 3, cream to pale yellow, ovate, slightly clawed, 2–4 × 2–4 mm, membranous;

bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts;

sporangiophores 2–4 mm, exserted to 1/2 their length, with 5–8 sessile to short-stalked microsporangia.

2 (rarely 1 or whorled) at node, obovoid, 4–7 mm, sessile or rarely on short peduncles;

bracts opposite, 6–10 pairs, yellow to red-brown, obovate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous;

bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts;

sporangiophores 4–5 mm, 1/2 exserted, with 4–6 sessile to short-stalked (less than 1 mm) microsporangia.

cones 1–several at node, ovoid, 9–15 mm, sessile;

bracts in 5 or 6 whorls of 3, obovate, 6–9 × 6–10 mm, papery, translucent with orange-yellow to greenish yellow center and base, base clawed, margins minutely dentate, undulate.

cones usually 2 at node, ovoid, 6–10 mm, sessile or on short, scaly peduncles;

bracts opposite, 5–7 pairs, circular, 4–7 × 2–4 mm, membranous, with red-brown thickened center and base, margins entire.;

seed 1, ellipsoid, 5–8 × 2–4 mm, light brown to brown, smooth to slightly scabrous.

buds conic, less than 4 mm.

buds conic, 1–2 mm, apex obtuse.