Flora of North America species comparison

erect, unbranched proximal to inflorescence or few-branched at base.

usually erect or spreading to ascending, sometimes decumbent or ascending from decumbent base, unbranched or branched at base, throughout, or only in inflorescence.

proximalmost opposite, distalmost alternate, sometimes opposite nearly to inflorescence, erect to ascending;

stipular glands absent;

blade narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, 8–27 × 1.2–5.6 mm, margins entire, not ciliate, apex acute;

internal venation shown by transmitted light.

sometimes falling early, alternate or sometimes partially opposite or whorled;

stipular glands present or absent;

blade linear, linear-lanceolate, linear-oblanceolate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, elliptic, oblong, obovate, spatulate, or awl-shaped, margins glandular-toothed or entire, sometimes ciliate.

panicles.

usually panicles, racemes, or cymes, rarely thyrses or corymbs.

0–5 mm.

articulated or not.

sepals persistent, lanceolate, 2–3 mm, margins not scarious, entire, or inner and rarely outer sparsely glandular-toothed, apex sharp-pointed;

petals yellow, obovate, 4–7 mm;

stamens 3 mm;

anthers 0.5–1 mm;

staminodia absent;

styles distinct, 1.5–2.5 mm;

stigmas capitate.

sepals persistent or deciduous, 5, connate at base, equal or unequal in size, margins scarious, entire, ciliate, or toothed, glandular or not;

petals 5, distinct or coherent at base, attached to filament cup at base, midway, or on or proximal to rim, blue, white, yellow, yellowish orange, orange, or salmon, rarely red or maroon, sometimes with darker bands near base, appendages absent or pouches formed on petal margins at base of claw;

stamens 5;

staminodes 0 or 5, as small deltate projections;

pistil 5-carpellate, ovary 5-locular, or 10-locular by intrusion of false septa;

styles 5, distinct or connate;

stigmas capitate, linear, or clavate, wider than styles.

capsules, usually 5-celled and dehiscing into 5 segments, sometimes each cell partially divided by incomplete or nearly complete false septum and dehiscing into 10 segments.

turbinate, 2–3 × 2–2.3 mm, apex acute or obtuse, dehiscing freely into 10, sharp-pointed 1-seeded segments, segments persistent on plant, false septa incomplete, proximal margins sparsely but conspicuously ciliate.

1.3–1.8 × 0.6–0.9 mm.

10, lenticular.

= 13, [15, 18].

= 36.