Flora of North America species comparison

slender.

spreading to decumbent or procumbent, much-branched, stout, rarely filiform, distal portion glandular-pubescent.

ascending, decumbent, or procumbent, simple or branched, terete to slightly angular.

axillary fascicles absent;

basal rosette or tuft of ascending leaves usually present;

basal blades linear, 10–30 mm, succulent, apex apiculate, glabrous;

cauline leaves conspicuously connate basally, forming shallow, scarious cup, blade linear, fleshy, apex apiculate, glabrous;

proximal blades 6–15(–20) mm, distal blades rarely subulate, (2.5–)3.5–7(–9) mm.

basal and secondary rosettes present in perennial species, usually connate proximally, sometimes forming conspicuous, scarious cup, sessile, with or without axillary fascicles of leaves;

blade 1-veined, linear to subulate, succulent or not, apex acute to mucronate or apiculate (or long-aristate in S. subulata).

terminal or axillary cymes, or flowers solitary;

bracts paired, foliaceous.

slender to stout, glabrous or glandular-pubescent distally.

erect or spreading.

axillary, 5-merous;

calyx bases glabrous or glandular-pubescent;

sepals ovate to orbiculate, (2–)2.5–3.5 mm, hyaline margins whitish, occasionally purple tinged on margins or apex, apex obtuse to rounded, glabrous or glandular-pubescent, remaining appressed following capsule dehiscence;

petals elliptic to nearly orbiculate, (1.5–)2–2.5(–3) mm, shorter than sepals;

stamens 10.

perianth and androecium hypogynous;

sepals 4 or 5, distinct, green or sometimes purple (in S. nivalis and S. decumbens), lanceolate to elliptic or orbiculate, 1–5.5 mm, herbaceous, margins white or purple, scarious, apex obtuse or rounded to somewhat acute, frequently hood-shaped in bud;

petals 4 or 5, sometimes absent (frequently absent or soon dropping in annual species), white, claw absent or minute, blade apex entire;

nectaries at base of filaments opposite sepals;

stamens 4, 5, 8, or 10, arising from base of ovary;

filaments distinct;

staminodes absent;

styles 4 or 5, clavate to filiform, 0.5–1.5 mm, glabrous proximally;

stigmas 4 or 5, subterminal to linear along adaxial surface of styles, minutely papillate (30x).

(3–)3.5–4.5 mm, exceeding sepals, dehiscing ca. 1/4 length.

globose to ovoid, opening by 4 or 5 valves, sutures running to base, but in some species dehiscing only ca. 1/4–1/2 capsule length;

carpophore absent.

reddish brown, reniform with abaxial groove absent, plump, 0.5 mm, smooth or slightly pebbled.

ca. 125, light tan to dark or reddish brown, obliquely triangular with abaxial groove, or reniform to nearly globose without abaxial groove (except S. nodosa, which is intermediate), laterally compressed or plump, smooth to tuberculate, marginal wing absent, appendage absent.

= 6, 7, 11.