Flora of North America species comparison

spreading to erect, sometimes zigzagged, purplish, simple or branched, wiry, (5–)10–35 cm, papillose-scabridulous.

prostrate to ascending, branched from base, not wiry, 20–70 cm.

evenly distributed or crowded at branch tips, articulated to ocreae, basal leaves persistent, distal leaves gradually reduced to bracts;

ocrea 3–4 mm, papillose-scabridulous, proximal part funnelform, distal part finely lacerate;

petiole 0.1–2 mm;

blade 1-veined, not pleated, linear to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 8–30 × 1–4(–7) mm, margins narrowly revolute, never touching along midrib, smooth, apex acute, mucronate, ± glaucous adaxially.

ocrea persistent, 7–15 mm, proximal part cylindric, pruinose, distal parts silvery, margins overlapping, entire or lacerate;

petiole 0.5–3 mm;

blade bluish green, lanceolate, 10–30 × 2–8 mm, coriaceous, margins revolute, apex obtuse or acute, rugulose when fresh, markedly rugulose when dried, glaucous;

middle stem leaves slightly larger than adjacent branch leaves, distal leaves overtopping flowers they subtend.

axillary and terminal, spikelike, dense;

cymes mostly congested toward tips of branches, 2–3-flowered.

axillary;

cymes uniformly distributed, 1–3-flowered.

enclosed in ocreae, erect to spreading, 2–3 mm.

enclosed in ocreae, 3–5 mm.

semi-open or closed;

perianth 1.8–2.4 mm;

tube 25–33% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, greenish, white, or pink with pink margins, petaloid, oblong, cucullate, navicular in distal 1/4, apex rounded;

midveins unbranched;

stamens 8.

semi-open;

perianth (2–)3–4 mm;

tube 12–26% of perianth length;

tepals ± recurved, overlapping, white, margins white or pink, petaloid, not keeled, oblong-obovate to spatulate, not cucullate;

midvein usually unbranched;

stamens 8.

enclosed in perianth, black, elliptic to ovate, 1.8–2.3 mm, faces subequal, shiny, smooth.

exserted from perianth, reddish brown to dark brown, ovate, 3-gonous, 2.5–3(–4) mm, faces subequal, apex not beaked, edges straight, shiny, smooth; late-season achenes common, 3–5 mm.

= 40.