Flora of North America species comparison

basal produced; flowering erect, 25–40 cm, sparsely sericeous.

of flowering stems opposite to subopposite;

blade linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, 10–20 × 1–1.5 mm, apex acute, usually indurate, abaxial surface sparsely pilose on midvein and margins, adaxial glabrous.

alternate, opposite, or whorled, usually estipulate, sometimes stipulate (Tuberaria), stipules caducous, petiolate or sessile;

blade 1- or 3- [5-]veined from base, not lobed, sometimes scalelike, margins entire [crenate, serrate], sometimes revolute and/or undulate.

usually corymbose, cymose, paniculate, racemose, thyrsiform, or umbellate, seldom solitary flowers.

1 per axil, 1–2 mm.

present or absent;

bracts present or absent.

calyx 1.8–2 mm, indurate, shiny, yellow-brown basally in fruit, outer sepals shorter than or equaling inner.

chasmogamous or cleistogamous;

sepals persistent or tardily falling, 3–5;

petals usually caducous [marcescent], usually 3–5, sometimes 0 in cleistogamous flowers, imbricate, distinct, crumpled in bud, green, dark red, pink, purple, red, white, or yellow;

stamens (3–)5–150+;

filaments distinct or basally connate;

ovaries superior, 2-, 3-, 5-, or 6–12-carpellate;

placentation parietal;

styles 0 or 1;

stigmas 1 or 3;

ovules orthotropous [anatropous], bitegmic, crassinucellate.

capsular, dehiscence loculicidal [septifragal].

ellipsoid to ovoid, 1.5–2 × 1–1.2 mm, ± equaling to slightly longer than calyx.

(1–)2(–3).

(1–)3–800+ per capsule, often with thin outer integument.