Flora of North America species comparison

ascending, branched at base, herbaceous throughout.

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

alternate or sometimes proximal leaves opposite, appressed-ascending;

stipular glands present (conspicuous);

blade linear, 7–20 × 0.6–1.5 mm, margins entire or distal leaves sparsely glandular-toothed, ciliate, apex acute; 1-nerved.

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.

open panicles.

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

5–10 mm.

articulated or not.

sepals falling tardily, lanceolate, 4–7 mm, margins of inner sepals scarious, glandular-toothed, apex acute to acuminate, puberulent at least on midrib;

outer 3-nerved;

petals yellowish orange to salmon, with maroon or reddish base, obcordate or broadly obovate, 9–15 mm;

stamens 4–7 mm;

anthers 0.6–1.4 mm;

staminodia absent;

styles connate nearly to apex, 3–7 mm;

stigmas dark, 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.

ovoid-ellipsoid, 3.5–4 × 2.5–5 mm, apex obtuse, dehiscing into 5, 2-seeded segments, segments persistent on plant, false septa complete, proximal margin not terminating in loose fringe, distal part cartilaginous, margins ciliate.

1.5–3 × 0.9–1.3 mm.

10, lenticular.

= 13, [15, 18].

= 30.