Flora of North America species comparison

erect, glabrous.

erect, sometimes laxly so, to nearly decumbent, glabrous.

alternate;

sessile or subsessile;

blade spatulate proximally to linear or narrowly elliptic distally, (5–)10–20(–40) × (0.5–)1–3(–5) mm, base acute or obtuse, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces glabrous.

alternate;

sessile or subsessile, or with narrowed petiolelike base to 2 mm;

blade obovate or elliptic, sometimes becoming scalelike proximally, (5–)8–23 × (2–)3–8(–9) mm, base cuneate, apex rounded, obtuse, or acute, surfaces glabrous.

capitate to densely cylindric, (0.5–)1–2(–4) × 0.5–1.4 cm;

peduncle 0.3–2.5(–3) cm;

bracts subpersistent to tardily deciduous, subulate.

loosely cylindric, open, elongate, 7–10(–15) × 1–1.5 cm;

peduncle 1–2(–2.5) cm;

bracts deciduous, ovate.

0.4–1.5 mm, glabrous.

3–4(–5) mm, glabrous.

usually pink, purple, or reddish purple, rarely white, sometimes greenish tinged, sepals sometimes pink or white, 4–6 mm;

sepals oval, elliptic-ovate, or lanceolate, 1–3 mm;

wings ovate to broadly elliptic, (2.6–)4.5–6.3 × (1–)2.5–3.5 mm, apex obtuse to broadly rounded, sometimes minutely apiculate, rarely acute;

keel 2.5–3 mm, crest 2-parted, with 2–4 lobes on each side.

pink to pale purple, 4–6 mm;

sepals ovate or elliptic, 1.1–2 mm;

wings elliptic, ovate, or obovate, (3.3–)4–5 × (1.5–)2–2.7 mm, apex obtuse to bluntly rounded;

keel 3–4 mm, crest 2-parted, with 2–4 entire or divided lobes on each side.

usually with flattened, sterile base, cuneate-subglobose, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, margins not winged (sometimes with raised rim).

broadly ellipsoid, 2–3.5 × 2–3 mm, margins narrowly winged, wings equal, crenate.

1.3–1.7 mm, pubescent;

aril 1–1.3 mm, lobes usually (1/2–)2/3 to ± length of seed, rarely minute.

1.5–2 mm, pubescent;

aril 1 mm, somewhat helmetlike, lobes to 1/4 length of seed.

flowers present in racemes usually below, rarely just above, soil surface, sometimes in proximal leaf axils later in season.