Flora of North America species comparison

prostrate to ascending, much-branched, 5–60 cm, often retrorsely pubescent on 1 side.

erect, tightly branched, 0.5–1.2 cm, glabrous.

stipules lanceolate, 2.5–8 mm, apex acute, entire;

blade linear to linear-lanceolate or -oblanceolate, 5–30 × 0.5–2 mm, leathery, apex acute, often mucronate, sparsely appressed-pubescent.

stipules broadly ovate, 3–6 mm, apex acute to acuminate, entire;

blade linear to oblanceolate, 2.5–7.5 × 0.5–1.2 mm, leathery, apex spinulose, glabrous.

flowers axillary, solitary.

5-merous, short-cylindric to ovoid, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx cylindric to tapering distally, 3.5–6.5 mm, pubescent with antrorse, slightly spreading, silky hairs;

sepals greenish to brownish, veins 3, obscure, ribs absent, narrowly lanceolate, 2–3.2 mm, leathery to rigid, margins translucent, ca. 0.1 mm wide, scarious, apex terminated by awn, hood narrowly triangular, awn straight to slightly divergent, white, 0.9–2 mm, scabrous, spinose;

staminodes narrowly triangular, 0.4–0.6 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/6, 1.4–2 mm.

5-merous, cylindric, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx cylindric to somewhat tapering distally, 4.2–5 mm, moderately hairy in proximal 1/2 with hooked to coiled hairs;

sepals green to tan, veins absent, lanceolate to elliptic, 3.5–4.5 mm, margins translucent, 0.7–1+ mm wide, scarious (resembling stipules), apex (of herbaceous midrib) terminated by awn, hood apparently consisting of prominent, erect, scarious extension of margins split at apex, awn ± spreading, 1.5–2 mm, oblong extension of midrib in proximal 1/4, with white, wavy, threadlike spine;

staminodes filiform, ca. 1 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 3/4, ca. 0.5 mm.

terminal, 15–25+-flowered, very compact, forming conspicuous glomerules 10–20 mm wide.

oblong, 1.5–1.8 mm, smooth, pubescent distally.

ovoid, ca. 1.3 mm, papillose distally.