Flora of North America species comparison

fusiform, somewhat thickened, often fascicled.

erect to spreading, terete or sometimes ridged, 60–250(–400) cm, densely branched, densely villous to glabrate, especially near base.

subterete to angled, with raised lines or narrow wings decurrent from leaf axils, (30–)50–120 cm, well branched in distal 1/2, densely erect-hirsute to sometimes glabrous.

stipules deltate, 0.5–0.8 × 0.6–0.7 mm, fleshy;

petiole 0–1 cm;

blade linear to oblong or oblanceolate, sometimes narrowly ovate, 0.7–14.5 × 0.1–4 cm, base tapered, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces ± densely villous or strigillose;

bracts not or scarcely reduced.

stipules narrowly deltate, 0.05–0.15 × 0.05–0.1 mm;

sessile;

blade closely appressed to stem, lanceolate to ovate-oblong, 1.4–5.5 × 0.4–1.2 cm, base attenuate, margins entire, apex acute to rounded, surfaces glabrous or densely erect-hirsute;

bracts usually very reduced, sublinear.

open, leafy racemes, flowers solitary in axils, presentation often radial;

bracteoles ovate, 3–8 × 1.4–4 mm, apex acuminate, attached near base of ovary.

leafy racemes, flowers solitary in leaf axils;

bracteoles attached in subopposite pairs just proximal to ovary base, lanceolate-linear, 2.5–7 × 0.5–1.5 mm, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces hirtellous.

sepals lanceolate to ovate, (6–)8–13 × 3–7 mm, apex acuminate, surfaces strigillose adaxially;

petals bright yellow, fan-shaped, (5–)10–20 × 5–20 mm, apex sometimes shallowly notched;

stamens 8 in 2 subequal series, yellowish white, filaments spreading, 4–6 mm, anthers oblong, 2.5–5 × 1–2 mm;

pollen shed in tetrads or sometimes polyads;

ovary cylindric, 4-angled, sometimes slightly twisted, 8–22 × 1–3 mm;

nectary disc elevated 0.4–0.5 mm on ovary apex, 1–2.4 mm diam., with 4 white-pubescent sunken lobes opposite petals;

style 2.5–3.5 mm, stigma capitate-globose, 1.8–3.5 × 2.5–3.5 mm, surrounded by anthers and pollen shed directly on it.

sepals narrowly ovate-deltate, (5.4–)6–12 × 2.2–4.5(–5) mm, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces hirtellous or, sometimes, glabrous;

petals cordate, 12–14 × 13–14 mm, base attenuate, apex emarginate;

filaments opaque white, awl-shaped, 2–5.5 mm, anthers 1.4–2.6 × 0.4–0.8 mm;

ovary subcuboid or globose, 3–4 × 3–4 mm;

nectary disc elevated, domed, 1–1.4 mm diam., prominently 4-lobed, ringed with stiff, spreading hairs or glabrous;

style 1.3–4.5(–5.5) mm, glabrous, stigma capitate to hemispherical, 0.9–1.5 × 0.9–2(–2.5) mm, often shallowly 4-lobed, as long as stamens, sometimes exserted beyond them.

cylindric to clavate-cylindric, subterete to ± 4-angled, 17–50 × 2.5–8 mm, thin-walled, irregularly dehiscent by 4–8 linear valves splitting from apex, short-villous, pedicel 5–25 mm.

subcuboid to squarish globose, 4–6 × 4–5 mm, 4-angled, often also 4-winged, wings 0.3–1.1 mm wide, pedicel 3–10 mm.

in several indistinct rows per locule, broad-cylindric with rounded ends, 0.6–0.9 × 0.5–0.8 mm, raphe inflated and nearly equal to seed body.

light brown, oblong to reniform, 0.6–0.7 × 0.3–0.4 mm, surface cells elongate transversely to seed length.

= [16], 32, 48.

= 16.