Flora of North America species comparison

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

several, erect from decumbent base, branched, 20–40 cm, sparsely scabrid-puberulent, stipitate-glandular 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;

basal shortly petiolate, blade oblanceolate, apex acute, sparsely puberulent;

cauline sessile, in 3–6 pairs, blade lanceolate to narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 3–8 cm × 3–8 mm, apex acute, scabrid-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, open, branches few, ascending, elongate, 5–10 cm, flowers 1–3 per branch, bracteate;

bracts lanceolate, 3–5 mm, apex acute.

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

usually shorter than or to 11/2 times calyx, scabrous-puberulent, ± viscid.

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.

bisexual and unisexual, all flowers having bisexual flowers and staminate unisexual flowers, 6–8 mm diam.;

calyx prominently 10-veined, narrowly campanulate in flower, campanulate in fruit, 7–10(–11) × 4–6 mm, only slightly contracted around carpophore, papery and membranous, sparsely scabrid with short glandular-setose hairs, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, margins dentate, lobes broadly ovate (as broad as long), 1–2 mm, not ciliate;

corolla cream or white, tinged purple, claw slightly exceeding calyx, narrowly triangular, auriculate, puberulent at base, limb oblong, 2-lobed, 2–4 mm, lobes entire, appendages 0.1–0.5 mm and broad, entire;

stamens equaling petals;

styles 3, equaling petals, reduced in functionally staminate flowers.

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

carpophore ca. 1 mm.

ovoid-ellipsoid, equaling calyx, opening by 6 spreading teeth;

carpophore ca. 2 mm.

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

papillae slightly longer than broad.

brown, reniform-triangular, ca. 1 mm; papillate mainly around margin.

= 24.