Flora of North America species comparison

long- creeping.

erect, 1–3 mm diam.

to 150, 0.1–0.2 mm wide.

several.

blade usually absent (present in var. mexicanus).

to 0.9 cm, 1/4–1 times height of plant.

lateral, 3–many-flowered, loose to congested;

primary bract barely exceeding to many times longer than inflorescence.

terminal solitary flowers;

bracts subtending inflorescence (1–)2, ovate, inconspicuous, 0.3–0.9 mm, membranous, apex acute.

variously pedicellate;

bracteoles membranous;

tepals chestnut brown or paler, lanceolate, (2.5–)3.3–5.5(–6) mm, margins clear;

inner series loosely subtending capsule at maturity; usually slightly shorter, margins scarious to clear, apex acutish to obtuse;

stamens 6, filaments 0.2–1.1 mm, anthers 0.9–2.2 mm;

style 0.9–1.5 mm.

3-merous;

: tepals (4–)6(–8), turning inward to enwrap shorter capsule at maturity, chestnut brown to black, lanceolate to oblong, 1.2–2.3(–2.8) × 0.4–0.6 mm;

;

outer and inner series nearly equal, acute to acuminate;

stamens 3, filaments 0.3–0.6 mm, anthers 0.15–0.25 mm;

style 0.1 mm, stigma 0.2–0.3 mm.

3-locular or infrequently pseudo-3-locular, oblate to narrowly ovoid, 3.5–4(–4.5) mm, equal to or exceeding perianth.

pale reddish, 3-locular, ovoid to ellipsoid, 1–1.9 mm × 0.5–1 mm.

dark amber, oblate to ellipsoid, 0.6–0.8 mm.

ovoid to globose, 0.3–0.5 mm.

= ca. 38.