Flora of North America species comparison

erect, sparingly branched below inflorescence, robust, to 65 cm.

erect, simple to sparingly branched, leafy, 20–70 cm, glabrous to puberulent, especially distally.

basal few, usually withering by time of anthesis, blade spatulate;

cauline numerous, 2 per node, blade 1-veined, ovate-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 3–7 cm × 7–30 mm, margins entire, apex acute.

2 per node, sessile or short-petiolate, largest near mid-stem region, reduced and withering proximally, blade elliptic-lanceolate, base cuneate or rounded, apex gradually acuminate and acute, glabrous to puberulent.

many-flowered, open, bracteate;

primary branches racemose, elongate, with sessile or shortly pedunculate cymes of 1–6 flowers per node;

bracts narrowly lanceolate, 3–12 mm, hyaline-margined, apex acute.

cymose, (1–)3–5(–12)-flowered, open, leafy.

ascending, ± straight, 1–2 times calyx, broadening at calyx base.

1/2–21/2 times calyx, apex often becoming deflexed, glabrous to hirsute.

calyx often obscurely ca. 20-veined, elliptic, abruptly contracted at base, opening constricted to 1/2 its diam., slightly inflated in flower, 7–10 × 3–4 mm, in fruit tightly enveloping capsule, ovoid, thin, enlarging to 9–13 × 5–7 mm, herbaceous, margins narrow, membranous, dentate with broadly triangular lobes to 1 mm, glabrous, veins obscure, usually purple tinged, without conspicuous, pale commissures, longitudinal, parallel, not obviously reticulate;

petals white, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb deeply 2-fid into 2 spatulate lobes, to 5 mm, appendages ca. 0.5 mm;

stamens exserted, to 2 times length of calyx;

filaments usually dark purple;

stigmas 3, exserted, to 2 times length of calyx.

calyx green, obscurely 10-veined, broadly tubular to campanulate, ± constricted at base around carpophore with broad umbilicate base, becoming broadly clavate in fruit, 14–17 × 5–9 mm, herbaceous, glabrous or hirsute, veins green, without pale commissures, lobes triangular, 2–3 mm;

corolla white, clawed, claw equaling calyx, expanded distally into 2-lobed limb, limb oblong, 6–7 mm, appendages oblong, 1–1.6 mm, margins ± entire;

stamens short-exserted;

stigmas 3, short-exserted.

ovoid, equaling calyx and sometimes splitting it, opening by 6 recurved, narrowly lanceolate teeth;

carpophore ca. 1 mm.

globose, equaling calyx, opening by 3 broad teeth that sometimes split to form 6;

carpophore 5–6 mm.

grayish brown, plump, broadly reniform, 0.6–1 mm, with concentric rings of papillae;

papillae slightly longer than broad.

dark brown to black, with grayish bloom, broadly reniform, not winged, 0.7–1 mm, sides with concentric crescents of low tubercles, larger and deeper on outer margins.

= 24.

= 48.