Flora of North America species comparison

prostrate, usually much-branched throughout, 5–50 cm, pubescent.

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

stipules ovate-lanceolate, 3–6 mm, apex narrowly acute to long-acuminate, entire;

blade elliptic to oblanceolate, 5–10 × 1.5–2.5 mm, ± fleshy, apex spinulous, entire, ± moderately antrorsely appressed-pubescent.

stipules ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–7 mm, apex acuminate, fimbriate;

blade spatulate to oblanceolate or linear-oblanceolate, 3–20 × 1–4 mm, herbaceous, apex acute to obtuse or rounded, glabrous to scaberulous.

5-merous, short-cylindric, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx cylindric to slightly tapering distally, 1.9–2.4 mm, glabrous, sepals puberulent distally;

sepals greenish, becoming reddish brown, midrib and lateral pair of veins often apparent, oblong to ovate, 1.2–1.3 mm, herbaceous, margins translucent, ca. 0.1 mm wide, scarious, apex terminated by awn, hood broadly rounded, awn erect, 0.5–0.7 mm, conic in proximal 1/6 with whitish, smooth spine;

staminodes absent;

styles 2, 0.2–0.3 mm.

5-merous, ± short-cylindric, with slightly enlarged hypanthium and calyx widening somewhat distally, 1–1.8 mm, sparsely to moderately pubescent proximally with hooked to straight hairs;

sepals red-brown (sometimes finely striped or mottled), white distally, midrib obscure, obovate, 0.4–0.8 mm, leathery to rigid, margins white, 0.03–0.1 mm wide, thinly herbaceous, apex broadly rounded, hood broadly rounded, awn or mucro usually absent or minute;

staminodes narrowly triangular, 0.3–0.4 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/6, 0.6–0.8 mm.

axillary, inconspicuous, 2–6-flowered, tightly congested.

terminal, 9–25-flowered, ± compact, forming spheroid glomerules 2–6 mm wide.

± globose to 4-angled, 1.2–1.3 mm, papillate distally.

ovoid to ellipsoid, 0.6–0.8 mm, smooth, glabrous.