Flora of North America species comparison

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

procumbent, branched from base, hirtellose; flowering stems 7–45 cm;

sterile stems 3–10 cm.

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 narrowly lanceolate, 6–13 mm, apex acuminate, often deeply cleft;

blade linear, 10–30 × 0.4–1 mm, leathery, apex short-spinose, minutely hirtellous to puberulent.

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, narrowly ovoid, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx tapering gradually distally, 2.8–5.1 mm, glabrous to puberulent, especially proximally;

sepals brown to yellowish, midrib and lateral pair of veins prominent, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 2–2.9 mm, leathery to rigid, margins whitish, 0.1–0.2 mm wide, papery, apex terminated by awn, hood rounded-triangular, awn curved outward, green to red-brown, ± conic, 0.4–1.1 mm, scabrous, distinct spine absent;

staminodes filiform, 0.8–1 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/5, 1.2–2 mm.

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

ovoid to obovoid, 1.8–2 mm, smooth, glabrous.

terminal, 3–10+-flowered, somewhat open to compact, often forming clusters 6–30 mm wide.