Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect, 6–10 cm, evenly puberulent with spreading hairs.

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 lanceolate, 4–7 mm, apex acuminate, entire;

blade linear or needlelike, 4–7 × ca. 0.5 mm, leathery, apex spinulose, puberulous.

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, extended-urecolate, with prominent hypanthial bulge and calyx tapering somewhat distally, 2.8–3.1 mm, moderately pubescent with straight, spreading to appressed hairs generally throughout;

sepals green to red-brown, veins absent or midrib and lateral pair of veins evident in fruit, lanceolate to oblong, 1.3–1.5 mm, leathery to rigid, margins translucent, less than 0.05 mm wide, scarious, apex terminated by awn, hood prominent, narrowly rounded, awn widely divergent, 0.5–0.7 mm, broadly conic in proximal 1/2–2/3 with yellowish, ± glabrous spine;

staminodes subulate, ca. 0.5 mm;

style 1, 2-lobed in distal 1/3–3/5, 0.5–0.7 mm.

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

terminal, 7–28+-flowered, branched, mostly congested in clusters 5–15 mm wide.

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

± ovoid, 0.8–0.9 mm, ± smooth, glabrous.