Flora of North America species comparison

prostrate to erect, dichotomously branched, 3–20 cm, retrorsely to spreading- pubescent throughout.

erect, tightly branched, 0.5–1.2 cm, glabrous.

stipules ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–7 mm, apex acuminate, entire;

blade elliptic to oblong or ovate, or basal ones spatulate, 2–18 × 1–6 mm, herbaceous to leathery, apex mucronate to short-spine-tipped, moderately antrorsely pubescent.

stipules broadly ovate, 3–6 mm, apex acute to acuminate, entire;

blade linear to oblanceolate, 2.5–7.5 × 0.5–1.2 mm, leathery, apex spinulose, glabrous.

diffuse, flowers solitary (paired) in axils of leafy bracts.

flowers axillary, solitary.

5-merous, broadly ovoid, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx tapering distally, 2–2.3 mm, glabrous to strigose;

sepals brownish to yellowish, veins absent, subulate to lanceolate, 1–1.7 mm, leathery to rigid, margins whitish, 0.03–0.1 mm wide, papery, apex terminated by awn, hood obscure, small flange, awn straight to slightly divergent, yellow, 0.3–0.4 mm, scabrous to antrorsely strigose, spinose;

staminodes narrowly triangular, 0.2–0.3 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/8, 0.7–0.9 mm.

5-merous, cylindric, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx cylindric to somewhat tapering distally, 4.2–5 mm, moderately hairy in proximal 1/2 with hooked to coiled hairs;

sepals green to tan, veins absent, lanceolate to elliptic, 3.5–4.5 mm, margins translucent, 0.7–1+ mm wide, scarious (resembling stipules), apex (of herbaceous midrib) terminated by awn, hood apparently consisting of prominent, erect, scarious extension of margins split at apex, awn ± spreading, 1.5–2 mm, oblong extension of midrib in proximal 1/4, with white, wavy, threadlike spine;

staminodes filiform, ca. 1 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 3/4, ca. 0.5 mm.

ellipsoid to subglobose, 0.5–0.8 mm, essentially smooth, glabrous.

ovoid, ca. 1.3 mm, papillose distally.