Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect to ascending, much-branched, 4–10 cm, hirtellous.

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, 5–8 mm, apex acuminate, often deeply cleft;

blade lanceolate, 5–9 × 0.75–1.1 mm, leathery, apex pungently mucronate, minutely hirtellous to 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, ± short-campanulate, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx slightly constricted then widening distally, 3.3–4.5 mm, puberulent with mostly ascending hairs;

sepals red-brown, midrib and lateral pair of veins absent to evident, oblong, 1.7–2 mm, leathery to rigid, margins white, 0.2–0.3 mm wide, papery to scarious, apex terminated by awn, hood ± obscure, broadly rounded, awn moderately divergent, white, ± lanceoloid, 1.4–2.1 mm, scabrous, distinct spine absent;

staminodes ± triangular, 0.2–0.4 mm;

styles 2, 0.5–0.7 mm.

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

terminal and subterminal, 3–7(–10)-flowered, densely congested, forming large and conspicuous glomerules 5–15 mm wide.

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

subglobose to ± 4-angular, 1.2–1.3 mm, papillate distally.