Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect to ascending, much-branched throughout, 10–30 cm, glabrous.

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, 2–5 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, 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-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.

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

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

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

ovoid, 1.2–1.5 mm, minutely papillose distally.