Flora of North America species comparison

reddish brown, cracked and irregularly fissured.

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

alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 25°.

pale green, becoming yellow, then gray with age, glaucous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves;

internodes 3–10 cm.

bright green, becoming yellow-green with age, viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves papillate;

internodes 1–5 cm.

in whorls of 3, 5–15 mm, connate to 1/2–3/4 their length;

bases becoming gray and shredded with age;

apex spinose.

opposite, 2–5 mm, connate to 1/4–1/2 their length;

bases thickened, brown, persistent;

apex setaceous.

1–several at node, obovoid, 6–10 mm, on short, scaly peduncles;

bracts in 8–12 whorls of 3, reddish brown, obovate, slightly clawed, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous;

bracteoles nearly equaling bracts;

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

2–several at node, obovoid, 4–6 mm, on very short, scaly peduncles (rarely sessile);

bracts opposite, 5–9 pairs, light yellow, ovate, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous, slightly connate at base;

bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts;

sporangiophores 2–4 mm, barely exserted, with 5–7 sessile to short-stalked (less than 1 mm) microsporangia.

cones 1–several at node, obovoid, 10–15 mm, on short, scaly peduncles (rarely sessile);

bracts in 6–9 whorls of 3, circular, 8–12 × 8–12 mm, papery, translucent with reddish brown center and base, base clawed, margins entire.

cones 2–several at node, obovoid to nearly globose, 7–15 mm, peduncles 5–25 mm, with 1 pair of basal and 1 pair of nearly terminal bracts;

bracts opposite, 3 or 4 pairs, ovate, 3–6 × 2–5 mm, membranous, with yellow center and base, margins entire.

buds spinelike, to 10 mm.

buds conic, 1–3 mm.