Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect, green, simple or with few branches, not wiry, 1.5–3.5 cm, papillose-scabridulous.

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.

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

ocrea 2–3.5 mm, papillose-scabridulous, proximal part funnelform, distal part hyaline, lacerate;

petiole absent;

blade 1-veined, not pleated, linear-subulate, 6–14 × 1 mm, coriaceous, margins revolute, touching along midrib, apex acute, mucronate, papillose.

axillary or axillary and terminal, spikelike;

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

axillary and terminal, spikelike, dense;

cymes overlapping, starting almost from stem base, 2–4-flowered.

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

enclosed in ocreae, erect to spreading, 0.4–1 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).

open;

perianth 2–2.5 mm;

tube 20–25% of perianth length;

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

midveins branched;

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.

enclosed in perianth, black, elliptic, 1.5–2 mm, faces subequal, shiny, smooth.