Flora of North America species comparison

erect, (1–)3–20(–25) cm, stipitate-glandular or glabrous proximally.

erect, 3–10(–15) cm, glabrous.

basal leaves abundant, persistent;

cauline leaves in (1–)4+ pairs, reduced distally or not;

basal blades erect or closely ascending to somewhat spreading, green to gray-green, filiform to needlelike or narrowly subulate, 0.3–3(–4) cm × 0.3–1.2 mm, flexuous or rigid, herbaceous, apex apiculate or stiff and spinose, glabrous to stipitate-glandular, not glaucous.

basal leaves persistent;

cauline leaves in 6–10 pairs, closely overlapping, not reduced;

basal blades arcuate-spreading, needlelike, (0.6–)1–2 cm × ca. 1 mm, ± rigid, herbaceous, apex spinose, glabrous, not glaucous.

(1–)3–13-flowered, ± open cymes.

3–45+-flowered, usually congested, subcapitate cymes.

2–15 mm, glabrous to densely stipitate-glandular.

ca. 0.1–3(–4) mm, glabrous.

sepals 1–3-veined, lateral veins less developed, ovate or lanceolate, (2.5–)2.8–5(–6) mm, not expanding in fruit, margins broad, apex obtuse to broadly acute or acuminate, glabrous or stipitate-glandular on herbaceous portion;

petals white or rarely pink, oblong to spatulate, (3–)4–7 mm, ca. 1.2–1.3 times as long as sepals, apex entire, erose, or 2-fid almost to base;

nectaries as abaxial, rounded lobe with transverse groove or elongate cup at base of filaments opposite sepals, 0.6 × 0.3 mm.

sepals 1–3-veined, linear-lanceolate, (5–)8.5–12 mm, not enlarging in fruit, margins narrow, apex acuminate, glabrous;

petals white, oblong-lanceolate to narrowly spatulate, 7–9 mm, 0.8–1.1 times as long as sepals, apex rounded to blunt;

nectaries not apparent.

4.5–7 mm, glabrous.

2.3–3.3 mm, glabrous.

black to brown, spheric or oblong to ovoid, 1.2–2.1 mm, low-tuberculate, sometimes papillate on abaxial ridge.

black, pyriform, 1.2–1.7 mm, tuberculate.