Flora of North America species comparison

ascending, decumbent at base, branched, shortly rhizomatous, to 80 cm, softly pubescent, ± glandular, at least distally, rarely subglabrous.

erect, few-branched, 50–100 cm, hispid.

sessile at mid and distal stem, petiolate to spatulate proximally;

petiole equaling or longer than blade of basal leaves;

blade ovate to elliptic, 3–13 cm × 10–50 mm (not including petiole), apex acute to acuminate, sparingly pubescent, densely so on abaxial midrib.

rounded into tightly sessile base;

blade lanceolate to ovate, 5–12 cm × 20–60 mm, apex acute, sparsely scabrous-pubescent on both surfaces, scabrous-ciliate on abaxial margins and midrib;

basal leaf blades broadly spatulate.

dichasial cymes, several- to many-flowered, open, bracteate;

bracts lanceolate, 4–20 × 2–7 mm, herbaceous, softly hairy throughout with long-septate hairs, not glandular, or with some glandular hairs.

subcapitate between terminal pair of leaves, 10–50-flowered, congested, bracteate;

bracts lanceolate, herbaceous, ciliate.

ascending, 0.2–3 cm, usually shorter than calyx.

unisexual, some plants having only staminate flowers, others having only pistillate flowers, 20–25 mm diam.;

calyx 8–12-veined, campanulate, narrowly so in staminate flowers, broadly in pistillate, 10–15 × to 7 mm in flower, 11 mm broad in fruit, herbaceous, margins dentate, softly pubescent, lobes 5, erect, lanceolate, 2–3 mm;

petals bright pink, clawed, claw equaling or longer than calyx, limb spreading horizontally, broadly obovate, unlobed or 2-lobed, to 12 × 12 mm, appendages 4, ca. 1 mm;

stamens and stigmas equaling petal claw;

styles 5.

sessile to subsessile, 10–16 mm diam.;

calyx 10-veined, narrow and tubular in flower, clavate in fruit, 12–17 mm, margins dentate, lobes triangular-lanceolate, 2.5–2.5 mm, coarsely hirsute;

petals scarlet, sometimes white or pink, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb spreading, obovate, deeply 2-lobed, 6–11 mm, shorter than calyx, appendages tubular, 2–3 mm;

stamens equaling calyx;

stigmas 5, equaling calyx.

broadly ovoid to globose, equaling and often splitting calyx, opening by 5 (splitting into 10) revolute teeth;

carpophore absent.

ovoid, 8–10 mm, opening by 5 teeth;

carpophore 4–6 mm.

dark brown to black, broadly reniform, plump, 1–1.6 mm, densely and evenly papillate.

dark reddish brown, reniform-rotund, 0.7–1 mm diam., coarsely papillate;

papillae ca. as high as wide.

= 24.

= 24 (Europe).