Flora of North America species comparison

erect, 10–20 cm, stipitate-glandular.

prostrate to ascending or erect, simple or branched.

basal leaves ± deciduous;

cauline leaves (2–)3–5 of equal size distally;

basal blades ascending to ± spreading, narrowly linear, 1.5–3.5 cm × 1–1.5 mm, ± flexuous, ± succulent, apex green, blunt or acute to apiculate, glabrous, not glaucous.

opposite, connate proximally or not, often petiolate (basal leaves), not stipulate;

blade subulate or linear to spatulate, lanceolate, or broadly ovate, seldom succulent.

7–40+-flowered, ± open cymes.

terminal or axillary cymes, or flowers solitary;

bracts foliaceous or reduced, herbaceous to scarious (or rarely absent);

involucel bracteoles absent.

3–20 mm, stipitate-glandular.

present or rarely flowers sessile.

sepals 1–3-veined, lateral pair obscure, ovate, 3–3.8 mm, 4–4.5 mm in fruit, margins broad, apex obtuse to rounded or barely acute, stipitate-glandular;

petals white, narrowly spatulate, 6.6–7.5 mm, 2 times as long as sepals, apex rounded or emarginate;

nectaries as lateral and abaxial rounding of base of filaments opposite sepals, 0.3 mm.

bisexual or seldom unisexual, sometimes inconspicuous;

perianth and androecium hypogynous or perigynous, often slightly;

hypanthium cup-, dish-, or disc-shaped;

sepals (4–)5, distinct or seldom connate basally, sometimes hooded, not awned;

petals absent or (1–)4–5, usually white, sometimes translucent, yellowish white, pink, or brownish, seldom clawed, auricles absent, coronal appendages absent, blade apex entire or 2-fid, sometimes jagged or emarginate, rarely laciniate;

stamens absent or (1–)5(–10), in 1 or 2 whorls, arising from base of ovary, a nectariferous disc, or sometimes the hypanthium or hypanthium rim;

staminodes absent or 1–5(–8);

ovary 1- or rarely 3-locular (Wilhelmsia);

styles (2–)3–5(–6), distinct;

stigmas (2–)3–5(–6).

capsules, or rarely utricles (Scleranthus), opening by (2–)3–6, occasionally 8 or 10 valves or (3 or) 6–10 teeth;

carpophore present or often absent.

4.5–5.5 mm, glabrous.

black to brown, oblong to pyriform, 1.8–2.4 mm, smooth to tuberculate.

1–60+, yellowish or tan to dark red or often brown or black, usually reniform or triangular to circular and laterally compressed or ovoid to globose, rarely oblong and dorsiventrally compressed (Holosteum);

embryo usually peripheral and curved, rarely central and straight (Holosteum).

= 6–15, 17–19, 23.