Flora of North America species comparison

gray, cracked and irregularly fissured.

gray-brown, cracked and irregularly fissured.

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

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

bright green to yellow-green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves barely papillate, smooth;

internodes 1–5 cm.

yellow-green, becoming yellow, then yellow-brown with age, glaucous, with numerous very fine longitudinal grooves;

internodes 3–10 cm.

opposite, 2–5 mm, connate to 1/2–3/4 their length, not photosynthetic;

bases thickened, brown, persistent, becoming hard, enlarged, and black;

apex setaceous.

in whorls of 3, 2–6 mm, connate to 1/2–3/4 their length;

bases at first membranous, then becoming thickened, completely deciduous;

apex acute.

2–several at node, obovoid, 5–7 mm, sessile;

bracts opposite, 6–10 pairs, light yellow and slightly reddened, ovate, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous, slightly connate at base;

bracteoles slightly exceeding bracts;

sporangiophores 2–4 mm, 1/4–1/2 exserted, with 5–8 sessile to nearly sessile microsporangia.

1–several at node, ovoid, 6–8 mm, on short, scaly peduncles;

bracts in 8–12 whorls of 3, light orange-yellow, ovate, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, membranous, slightly united at base;

bracteoles equaling or slightly exceeding bracts;

sporangiophores 3–5 mm, exserted to 1/3 their length, with 3–7 sessile to short-stalked microsporangia.

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

bracts opposite, 4–8 pairs, ovate, 4–7 × 2–4 mm, membranous or papery, with yellow center and base, margins entire.

cones 1–several at node, ovoid, 8–10 mm, on very short, scaly peduncles;

bracts in 4–6 whorls of 3, circular, 5–7 × 5–10 mm, papery, with orange- to green-yellow center and base, slightly clawed, margins entire.

buds conic, 1–2 mm, apex obtuse.

buds conic, 2–3 mm, apex acute.

= 28.