Flora of North America species comparison

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

prostrate to erect, much-branched, 5–50 cm, retrorsely pubescent 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, 1.5–7 mm, apex acuminate, entire;

blade linear-oblong to oblanceolate, 3–20 × 0.5–3 mm, herbaceous, apex obtuse to subacute, sparsely antrorsely 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, cylindric, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx constricted then widening distally, 1.2–2.2 mm, pubescent, sometimes only slightly so, mostly proximally with straight or usually hooked hairs;

sepals red-brown, white distally, midrib and lateral pair of veins becoming prominent, linear to oblong, 0.6–1.2 mm, papery, margins white, 0.03–0.1 mm wide, papery, apex terminated by mucro, hood obscure, narrowly rounded, mucro short-conic, 0.05–0.1 mm, glabrous;

staminodes triangular, 0.2–0.4 mm;

style 1, cleft (2- or 3-lobed) in distal 1/5, 0.5–1.3 mm.

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

terminal and lateral, 15–50+-flowered, densely congested, ± spheroid clusters 3–5 mm wide.

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

ovoid to subglobose, 0.4–0.6 mm, ± smooth, glabrous.