Flora of North America species comparison

erect, subterete or slightly ridged, well branched distally, 45–100 cm, glabrous, with raisedlines decurrent from leaf axils.

erect or ascending, slightly ridged, usually well branched, 12–55(–62) cm, glabrous.

alternate;

stipules ovate to very broadly ovate, 0.2–0.5 ×0.1–0.3 mm, succulent;

stolons: petiole winged, 0.2–1 cm, blade orbiculate or elliptic to broadly elliptic, 0.5–2.7 × 0.6–1.2 cm, base attenuate, apex rounded to acute;

main stem: petiole winged, 0.1–0.5 cm, blade elliptic, oblanceolate, or narrowly oblanceolate to sublinear, 2–7.5 × 0.2–0.8(–1.4) cm, base narrowly cuneate, sometimes attenuate, margins entire with minute hydathodal glands, apex acute to narrowly acute, leaves on side branches much reduced;

bracts sublinear, moderately reduced.

alternate;

stipules narrowly ovate to narrowly lanceolate, 0.2–0.3 × 0.1–0.2 mm;

stolons: petiole narrowly attenuate, 0.05–0.5 cm, blade narrowly obovate or oblanceolate to spatulate, 0.5–2 × 0.1–0.6 cm;

stems: sessile, blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, 1.5–4 × 0.1–0.4(–0.6) cm, base very narrowly cuneate, margins entire with obscure hydathodal glands, apex acuminate to acute;

bracts linear, reduced.

open spikes, flowers solitary in distal leaf axils;

bracteoles attached in opposite pairs at or slightly distal to base of ovary, ovate-elliptic to very narrowly elliptic, 1.5–4.3 × 0.4–1.4 mm, often with a swollen base, margins minutely papillose, apex subacute.

leafy spikes, flowers solitary in leaf axils;

bracteoles attached 0–1.5 mm distal to base of ovary, very narrowly oblanceolate to linear, (1.5–)2.5–9(–13) × 0.2–0.8 mm, margins entire, apex acute.

sepals ascending, pale green, broadly ovate-deltate, 1.5–2.5 × 1.8–3.3 mm, margins minutely papillose, apex usually acute, rarely acuminate, surfaces glabrous;

petals 0;

filaments nearly translucent, 1–1.4 mm, base dilated, anthers 0.4–0.6(–0.8) × 0.5–0.6 mm;

pollen shed in tetrads;

ovary broadly obovoid or cup-shaped, 2.5–3.5 × 2.2–3.2 mm;

nectary disc elevated 0.4–0.6 mm on ovary apex, yellowish green, 1.8–2.6 mm diam., 4-lobed, glabrous;

style yellowish green, 0.5–0.7 mm, glabrous, stigma yellowish green, broadly capitate to subglobose, 0.3–0.5 × 0.7–1 mm, not exserted beyond anthers.

sepals ascending, green, narrowly lanceolate-deltate, (3–)4–7 × 1.1–1.7 mm, margins entire, apex narrowly acute, surfaces glabrous or minutely papillose;

petals narrowly obovate-elliptic, 4–6 × 2–4 mm, base obtuse, apex obtuse or rounded;

filaments pale yellow, (1.3–)1.5–2.5(–3) mm, anthers oblong, 0.6–1.1 × 0.5–0.8 mm;

pollen shed in tetrads;

ovary subcylindric, 3–4 × 1–1.5 mm;

nectary disc elevated 0.3–0.7 mm on ovary apex, bright yellow, 0.8–1.5 mm diam., prominently 4-lobed, minutely papillose;

style yellow, 1.25–2.5 mm, glabrous, stigma subcapitate, 0.3–0.6 × 0.6–0.8 mm, shallowly 4-lobed, not exserted beyond anthers.

obpyramidal, sharply 4-angled and 4-winged, wings 0.3–0.7mm wide, 3.5–5 × 2.5–4.5 mm, hard-walled, dehiscent by apical ring, pedicel 0.1–0.5 mm.

subcylindric, terete or slightly angled, 5–10(–12) ×1.3–2(–2.2) mm, hard-walled, irregularly dehiscent, pedicel 0 mm.

light brown, narrowly oblong with constricted ends, 0.6–0.8 ×0.2–0.3 mm, surface cells nearly isodiametric.

reddish brown, oblong-elliptic, 0.6–0.7 × 0.2–0.3 mm, surface cells nearly isodiametric.

= 32.

= 16.