Flora of North America species comparison

annual, erect, 2–5 m, herbaceous, glabrous;

prickles absent.

perennial, climbing or not, to 12 m, woody, glabrous;

prickles sometimes absent distally, bristlelike, 3–11 mm, flexible.

few, disposed distally or evenly distributed, subequal;

petiole shorter than blade;

tendrils absent or rudimentary;

blade oblong, oblong-ovate, or sometimes oval, 2.5–12 × 1.5–7.5 cm, not glaucous, puberulent abaxially, base rounded to slightly cordate, margins entire, apex broadly rounded to obtuse or abruptly pointed.

evergreen, ± evenly dispersed;

petiole 0.5–2 cm;

blade dull green, drying to dull, ashy green, ovate to broadly ovate, conspicuously veined, 4–11 × 3–8 cm, not glaucous, glabrous, base cordate to subcordate;

margins entire, thin, flat, not banded, never lobed;

apex acute, often apiculate.

1–3, proximalmost axillary to bracts, 5–12-flowered.

axillary to distal leaves, (2–)8–13(–19)-flowered;

peduncle 2–5 cm, longer than petiole of subtending leaf.

perianth greenish;

tepals 3–3.5 mm;

anthers shorter than filaments;

ovules (1–)2 per locule.

perianth green;

tepals 3–6 mm;

ovule 1 per locule;

pedicel thin, 1–1.5 cm.

globose, 8–10 mm diam., glaucous.

black, ovoid, 7–9 mm.

= 26.