Flora of North America species comparison

erect, strict, terete, 4–55 cm, simple or well branched in age, subglabrous proximally to mixed strigillose and glandular puberulent distally, with raised strigillose lines decurrent from margins of petioles.

terete, 1.5–32 cm, simple or often with sprawling, stout, prostrate proximal branches, proximally glabrous, often distally spreading-hairy and ± glandular puberulent.

opposite proximal to inflorescence, alternate and reduced distally, often ± appressed, usually subsessile, rarely petiole 1–3 mm, often clasping;

blade obovate proximally to ovate, lanceolate, or narrowly elliptic distally, 1–5.5(–6.5) × 0.4–2(–2.4) cm, base rounded or obtuse, margins low denticulate, 9–30 teeth per side, veins ± conspicuous, 3–6 per side, apex subacute, surfaces subglabrous with strigillose margins;

bracts much reduced.

subsessile, blade grayish green, linear to narrowly elliptic, proximally broader and surfaces subglabrous, distally narrower and surfaces densely villous, especially on margins and midrib, often folded along midrib, usually early-withering, 1.5–5.5 × 0.2–0.6 cm, base cuneate, margins serrulate, 5–18 low teeth per side, lateral veins obscure, 1–4 per side, apex acute;

bracts scarcely reduced.

erect, sometimes nodding in bud, racemes, sometimes sparsely branched.

erect spikes, leafy, densely villous and glandular puberulent, first flowers at most proximal nodes.

erect;

buds 2–3.5 × 1.8–2.5 mm;

pedicel 0–1 mm;

floral tube 0.8–1.4 × 0.8–1.9 mm, ring of sparse spreading hairs at mouth inside;

sepals sometimes flushed red, 1.2–3.5 × 0.6–1.4 mm, abaxial surface strigillose and sometimes mixed glandular puberulent;

petals usually white, infrequently pink, 2.2–5(–7) × 1.7–3.2 mm, apical notch 0.4–1.5 mm;

filaments usually cream, rarely light pink, those of longer stamens 2–3.5 mm, those of shorter ones 1–2 mm;

anthers cream to light yellow, 0.3–0.8 × 0.3–0.5 mm;

ovary 9–30 mm, densely strigillose and glandular puberulent;

style cream or yellow, 1.6–2.8 mm, stigma usually narrowly to broadly clavate, rarely subcapitate, 1–3 × 0.8–2 mm, surrounded by at least longer anthers.

± cleistogamous, suberect, often hidden by subtending bracts;

buds 2–4 × 1–1.5 mm, apiculate;

floral tube 0.5–1 × 0.4–1 mm, raised ring of lax hairs near mouth inside;

sepals pale green or reddish green, not keeled, 1.5–3 × 0.6–1.2 mm, apex acute, abaxial surface villous and glandular puberulent;

petals white to pale pink, 2–5.8 × 0.8–1.8 mm, apical notch 0.5–1.5 mm;

filaments light pink, those of longer stamens 0.6–1.6 mm, those of shorter ones 0.5–0.8 mm;

anthers light yellow, 0.4–0.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm;

ovary 8–11 mm, densely villous and glandular puberulent;

style light pink, 1.4–2.4 mm, stigma capitate, ± 4-lobed to subentire, 0.5–0.9 × 0.4–0.8 mm, surrounded by longer anthers.

30–55(–70) mm, surfaces mixed strigillose and glandular puberulent; usually subsessile, rarely pedicel 1–5 mm, often appressed to stem.

narrowly cylindrical, often curved-ascending, sharply 4-angled with 4 strong ribs, 8–12 mm, beak 1.5–3 mm, tardily dehiscent on distal 1/3, central axis disintegrating, sparsely villous and glandular puberulent;

sessile.

very narrowly obovoid, 1–1.6(–1.8) × 0.4–0.6 mm, chalazal collar 0.1–0.2 mm, light brown or gray, surface rugose to papillose;

coma usually readily detached, white, 3–9 mm.

10–14 per tightly packed row, irregularly angular to fusiform, 1.2–1.5 ×0.4–0.6 mm, chalazal collar absent, surface irregularly reticulate.

= 36.

= 30.