Flora of North America species comparison

several to many, erect to ascending, loosely clumped, terete, 10–25 cm, rarely branched distal to base, usually short-villous and strigillose throughout, mixed sparsely glandular puberulent distally, rarely subglabrous proximal to inflorescence.

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 usually crowded distally, sessile;

blade gray-green, narrowly to broadly ovate, 1.3–2.6 × 0.8–2 cm, base rounded to subcordate, margins usually serrulate, 6–12 teeth per side, rarely subentire, veins inconspicuous, 3–5 per side, apex rounded proximally to acute distally, surfaces sparsely short-villous to subglabrous and glaucous;

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, compact racemes, densely canescent and glandular puberulent, or subglabrous, only ovaries pubescent.

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

erect;

buds often purplish green, 9–11 × 3.5–5 mm, blunt;

pedicel 6–12 mm;

floral tube 2.1–4 × 2.9–5 mm, prominent ring of tissue 0.3–0.6 mm wide, edged by spreading hairs, 0.9–1.8 mm from base of tube inside;

sepals purplish green, 5–10.5 × 2–3.5 mm, apex acute;

petals pink to rose-purple, obcordate, 10–22.5 × 9.5–15.5 mm, apical notch 2–6.5 mm;

filaments cream, those of longer stamens 6.5–14 mm, those of shorter ones 3.5–11 mm;

anthers cream 1.9–3.3 × 0.7–1.2 mm;

ovary 12–22 mm, ± densely canescent and glandular puberulent;

style white to light pink, 10.5–18 mm, sparsely villous just proximal to stigma, stigma broadly 4-lobed, 1–1.8 × 2.4–4.2 mm, exserted beyond 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.

25–45 mm, surfaces canescent and glandular puberulent;

pedicel 6–25 mm.

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.

narrowly obovoid, 1.4–1.9 × 0.6–0.7 mm, with low, obscure chalazal collar, light brown, surface papillose;

coma easily detached, somewhat tawny, 4–8 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.