Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green, simple or branched, ± wiry, 15–60 cm, usually papillose-scabridulous.

erect or decumbent, branched mostly from base, not wiry, 15–100 cm.

uniformly distributed, articulated to ocreae, basal leaves often caducous, distal leaves abruptly reduced to bracts, articulated to ocreae;

ocrea 5–12 mm, glabrous or papillose-scabridulous, proximal part cylindric, distal part lacerate or disintegrating into fibers;

petiole 0.1–2 mm;

blade 1-veined, not pleated, linear to narrowly oblong or lanceolate, 15–70 × 2–8 mm, margins revolute, papillose-denticulate, apex acute or mucronate.

ocrea 4–8 mm, proximal part cylindric, distal part soon disintegrating into curly or straight fibers;

petiole 0–1.5 mm;

blade bluish green, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 15–50 × 2–8 mm, margins flat, apex acute;

stem leaves 2.1–4 times as long as branch leaves;

distal leaves abruptly reduced and not overtopping flowers (shorter than or equaling flowers).

axillary and terminal, spikelike, elongate;

cymes spaced along branches, 2–5-flowered.

axillary and terminal, spikelike;

cymes aggregated at tips of stems and branches, 4–6-flowered, bracts inconspicuous.

exserted from ocreae, reflexed, 0.5–1 mm.

enclosed in ocreae, 1–2 mm.

open or semi-open;

perianth (3.5–)4–5 mm;

tube 9–17% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, uniformly white to pink, petaloid, oblong to oblong-obovate, cucullate, navicular in distal 1/4, apex rounded;

midveins unbranched or with short lateral branches;

stamens 8.

closed;

perianth 1.8–2.4 mm;

tube 10–22% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, green or white, usually with pink, rarely red or white, margins, petaloid, not keeled, oblong to obovate, cucullate;

midveins usually unbranched;

stamens 7–8.

enclosed in perianth, black, elliptic, 3.5–5 mm, faces subequal, shiny or dull, smooth or striate-tubercled.

enclosed in perianth, brown, ovate, 3-gonous, 1.3–2.3 mm, faces subequal, slightly concave, apex not beaked, with concave edges, shiny, smooth; late-season achenes unknown.