Flora of North America species comparison

erect, usually profusely branched in distal 1/2, not wiry, 10–100(–200) cm.

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

ocrea 6–12(–15) mm, proximal part cylindric, distal part silvery, soon disintegrating into persistent brown fibers;

petiole 2–4 mm;

blade variable, light yellowish green to bluish green, proximal often caducous, narrowly elliptic, lanceolate, or oblanceolate, rarely ovate, 8–70 × 4–18(–35) mm, margins flat, apex acute to acuminate or obtuse;

distal leaves, either overtopping or shorter than or equaling flowers.

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 or axillary and terminal, spikelike;

cymes uniformly distributed or crowded toward tips of branches, 2–5-flowered.

axillary;

cymes uniformly distributed, 1–3-flowered.

enclosed in or exserted from ocreae, 1–6 mm.

enclosed in ocreae, 3–5 mm.

closed;

perianth (2–)2.2–3.6(–4) mm;

tube 20–38% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, greenish yellow with greenish yellow or yellow, rarely pink or white, margins, petaloid or sepaloid, not keeled, elliptic to oblong, cucullate;

midveins thickened or not;

stamens 3–6(–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 or exserted from perianth, dark brown, ovate, 3-gonous, 1.6–3.5 mm, faces subequal, concave, apex not beaked, edges straight, shiny or dull, usually smooth to roughened, sometimes uniformly or obscurely tubercled; late-season achenes common, 4–15 mm.

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.