Flora of North America species comparison

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

prickles absent.

perennial, climbing, branching, green, often mottled, terete, to 5+ m, woody, glaucous, glabrous;

prickles, when present, thin, 1–5 mm.

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.

deciduous to semi evergreen, ± evenly disposed;

petiole 0.5–1.5 cm;

blade green to glaucous-green, often mottled adaxially, silvery grayish abaxially, drying to brownish tan adaxially, broadly ovate, elliptic to reniform, with 3 (or 5) conspicuous veins, 4.5–11 × 2.5–6.6 cm, glabrous and glaucous abaxially, base truncate, subcordate, or attenuate, margins entire, apex rounded, tapering, or short-acuminate.

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

few to many, axillary to leaves, 5–12+-flowered, open, umbellate to hemispherical;

peduncle 2–5 cm.

perianth greenish;

tepals 3–3.5 mm;

anthers shorter than filaments;

ovules (1–)2 per locule.

perianth yellow to bronze;

tepals 3–7 mm;

anthers longer than filaments;

ovule 1 per locule;

pedicel 0.5–1 cm.

globose, 8–10 mm diam., glaucous.

blue to black, subglobose, 8–10 mm, shiny black at maturity, glaucous.

;

rhizomes tuberous, or spinose, linear.

= 26.

= 28, 32.