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.

usually alternate, sometimes subopposite or opposite when scalelike proximally (less than 2 mm);

sessile or subsessile, or with narrow petiolelike portion to 2(–3) mm;

blade spatulate to linear-oblong, sometimes scalelike proximally, 5–15(–30) × 1–3(–6) mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse to rounded 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), 1.3–6(–10) × 0.8–1.6 cm;

peduncle 0.5–1(–2) cm;

bracts deciduous, ovate to oblong-ovate or elliptic.

0.4–1.5 mm, glabrous.

(1–)2(–3) 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, 6–8 mm;

sepals ovate, 0.8–1.1 mm;

wings elliptic or obovate, 3–6 ×1.5–2.7 mm, apex obtuse to bluntly rounded;

keel(2–)3–5 mm, crest 2-parted, with 2 or 3 lobes on each side, each lobe subdivided into 2–4 lobes.

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

ellipsoid or oblong, 2.5–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm, margins not winged.

1.3–1.7 mm, pubescent;

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

2.3–3.3 mm, pubescent;

aril 2–3 mm, lobes 3/4 to equal length of seed.

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