Flora of North America species comparison

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

prostrate to sprawling, much-branched, 8–15 cm, scabrous-puberulent to puberulent throughout.

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, 2–8 mm, apex acuminate, entire;

blade linear, 8–15(–23) × 0.5–1 mm, leathery, apex shortly cuspidate, puberulent.

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, ± ovate, with prominently enlarged hypanthium and calyx tapering only slightly distally, 2.3–3.5 mm, puberulent;

sepals green to purple-brown, midrib and lateral pair of veins ± obscure, oblong to lanceolate-oblong, 1.7–2 mm, leathery to rigid, margins whitish to translucent, 0.05–0.1 mm wide, scarious, apex terminated by awn, hood prominent, rounded-triangular, awn divergent, conic in proximal 1/2–2/3 with yellowish, scabrous spine 0.7–0.9 mm;

staminodes filiform, 0.5–0.8 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/3–2/3, 0.8–1.4 mm.

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

terminal, 3–7-flowered, branched, congested, in clusters 7–25 mm wide.

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

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

= 32.