Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect to ascending, much-branched throughout, 10–30 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 lanceolate, 2–5 mm, apex acuminate to long-acuminate, entire;

blade linear, 7–15(–19) × 0.4–0.8(–1) mm, leathery, apex subobtuse or minutely cuspidate, glabrous.

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, ± short-campanulate, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx constricted proximally, 2.3–3.2 mm, hirtellous, glabrous distally;

sepals red-brown, veins absent to obscure, narrowly oblong, 1.8–2.3 mm, leathery to rigid, margins translucent, 0.05–0.1 mm wide, scarious, apex terminated by awn, hood conspicuously rounded, awn divergently spreading, 1–1.5(–2) mm, ± broadly conic in proximal 1/3 with yellowish, glabrous spine;

staminodes filiform, 0.7–0.9 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/5, 0.6–1.3 mm.

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

terminating branchlets, 10–40+-flowered, repeatedly forked and diffuse, clusters 1–3 cm wide.

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

ovoid, 1.2–1.5 mm, minutely papillose distally.