Flora of North America species comparison

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

prostrate, sprawling-spreading, much-branched, 10–35 cm, short-pubescent.

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, 3–7.5 mm, apex acuminate, entire;

blade oblanceolate to spatulate, 5–18 × 1.5–3.5 mm, leathery, apex obtuse to very short-cuspidate, densely appressed-pubescent.

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-urceolate, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx constricted proximally, flaring distally, 1.8–2 mm, pubescent with short, hooked hairs proximally;

sepals red-brown, often finely striped or mottled, veins absent, spatulate-obovate to suboblong, 0.8–1.3 mm, leathery to rigid, margins white, 0.1–0.2 mm wide, papery, apex terminated by awn, broadly rounded, awn divergent, 0.3–0.4 mm, broadly conic in proximal 1/3–1/2 with white, scabrous spine;

staminodes filiform, 0.5–0.6 mm;

style 1, 0.7–0.8 mm, cleft in distal 1/5.

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

terminal and subterminal, occasionally axillary, 3–7-flowered, congested, clusters 3–8 mm wide.

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

globose, 0.8–1 mm, smooth, glabrous.