Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect or ascending to prostrate, branched, 5–60 cm, often retrorsely pubescent on 1 side.

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 ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–7 mm, apex acuminate, fimbriate;

blade spatulate to oblanceolate or linear-oblanceolate, 3–20 × 1–4 mm, herbaceous, apex acute to obtuse or rounded, glabrous to scaberulous.

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

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, ± short-cylindric, with slightly enlarged hypanthium and calyx widening somewhat distally, 1–1.8 mm, sparsely to moderately pubescent proximally with hooked to straight hairs;

sepals red-brown (sometimes finely striped or mottled), white distally, midrib obscure, obovate, 0.4–0.8 mm, leathery to rigid, margins white, 0.03–0.1 mm wide, thinly herbaceous, apex broadly rounded, hood broadly rounded, awn or mucro usually absent or minute;

staminodes narrowly triangular, 0.3–0.4 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/6, 0.6–0.8 mm.

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

ovoid to ellipsoid, 0.6–0.8 mm, smooth, glabrous.

terminal, 9–25-flowered, ± compact, forming spheroid glomerules 2–6 mm wide.