Flora of North America species comparison

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

erect, decumbent at base, simple, branched in flowering region, slender, 10–20(–25) cm, sparsely pubescent and glandular.

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.

mostly basal;

basal marcescent, densely tufted, long-petiolate, blade linear-oblanceolate, 1–3 cm × 0.5–3 mm, somewhat fleshy, setose-puberulent on both surfaces;

cauline in 1–3 pairs proximal to inflorescence, reduced distally, blade linear, 1–4 cm × 0.5–2 mm.

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.

1–3-flowered, with terminal flower, usually with 1 or 2 flowers at proximal nodes.

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

erect, sometimes slightly bent at apex, 1/4–2 times calyx, viscid glandular-puberulent, septa of hairs colorless.

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 prominently 10-veined, narrowly campanulate, ± umbilicate, not contracted proximally around carpophore, 9–18(–22) × 3–6 mm, papery, glandular-puberulent, viscid, hairs with colorless septa, veins parallel, purple, with pale commissures, lobes with midrib present, triangular, 2–3 mm, margins purple tinged, membranous, often broadened distally into round, crenulate lobe;

corolla off-white, usually pink or purple tinged, to 11/2 times longer than calyx, limb 2-lobed, 2–3 mm, sometimes with 2 small lateral teeth, appendages 2, ovate, 1–1.5 mm;

stamens slightly longer than calyx;

styles 3(–5), equaling petals.

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

carpophore ca. 1 mm.

included in calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) ascending teeth;

carpophore 1.5–3 mm, woolly.

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

papillae slightly longer than broad.

brown, reniform, ca. 1.5 mm, rugose on both surfaces, margins with large, inflated papillae.

= 24.

= 48.