Flora of North America species comparison

annual, erect to ascending, branched, 2–2.5 m, herbaceous, glabrous;

prickles absent.

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

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

evenly distributed, proximalmost smaller, narrower;

petiole 1.5–9 cm, shorter than blade;

tendrils numerous, long, functional;

blade not lustrous, pale green abaxially, ovate to round, 4–8 × 3–6 cm, not glaucous, pubescent abaxially, with transparent trichomes, base cordate, margins entire, convex, apex acuminate to rounded and cuspidate.

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.

many, axillary to leaves, to 35-flowered, dense, globose;

peduncle to 12+ cm, short.

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

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

perianth greenish;

tepals 35–45 mm;

anthers equaling or shorter than filaments;

ovules (1–)2 per locule;

pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm.

perianth green;

tepals 3–6 mm;

ovule 1 per locule;

pedicel thin, 1–1.5 cm.

bluish black to black, subglobose, 8–10 mm, glaucous.

black, ovoid, 7–9 mm.

= 26.