Flora of North America species comparison

numerous, decumbent to ascending, branched, tufted, leafy, slender, 5–30 cm.

simple, branched in inflorescence, (10–)20–40(–70) cm.

2 per node, sessile or nearly so, blade reticulate-veined, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, thin, 0.8–2 cm × 3–8 mm, broadest proximally, base rounded, apex acute.

basal withering before flowering, blade lanceolate-spatulate, 2–5 cm;

cauline sessile to amplexicaulous, blade lanceolate to ovate or elliptic, 1–6 cm × 5–25 mm, apex acute.

cymose, open, compound, leafy, single flowers borne terminally and in axils of distal leaves;

bracteoles, when present, 2.

cymose, bracteate;

cyme capitate or with flowers clustered at end of slender branches;

bracts lanceolate-acicular, 2–10 mm.

straight, slender, 1/2–3 times longer than calyx.

0.1–0.5 cm.

calyx green, obscurely 10-veined, narrowly campanulate, in fruit 6–9 × 3–4 mm, herbaceous, pubescent, veins without conspicuous pale commissures;

lobes triangular, 2–3 mm;

corolla dark red, sometimes white, clawed, claw slightly longer than calyx, limb deeply 2-lobed, 2–3 mm, appendages 2, very small;

stamens exserted;

styles 3, exserted.

calyx usually purple tinged, 10-veined, elongate, clavate, lobed, constricted proximally into narrow tube, 13–17 × 2.5–4 mm, rather membranous;

lobes ovate-triangular, ca. 1 mm, apex obtuse;

petals pink (rarely white), unlobed, limb obovate, ca. 5 mm, base cuneate into claw 6–8 mm, auricles absent, appendages linear to lanceolate, 2–3 mm, apex acute;

stamens slightly longer than petal claws;

styles 3(–4), exserted.

ellipsoid, included in calyx, opening by 6 teeth;

carpophore ca. 1.5 mm.

oblong, 7–10 mm, opening by 6 (or 8) spreading teeth;

carpophore 7–8 mm, glabrous.

brown, not winged, broadly reniform, flattened, ca. 0.8 mm, reticulate.

dark brown, reniform-rotund, less than 1 mm diam., rugose.

= 24.

= 24 (Europe).