Flora of North America species comparison

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

prickles absent.

annual, erect to leaning, with bladeless bracts proximally, leaves distally, 0.3–0.8 m, herbaceous;

prickles absent.

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.

mostly distal (upper 1/2–2/3 of plant);

petiole thin, shorter than blade;

tendrils few and short or absent;

blade thin, broadly elliptic-ovate to subrotund, 9–12 × 5–9 cm, pubescent and not glaucous abaxially, base cordate to truncate, margins entire, convex, apex round to acuminate.

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

peduncle to 12+ cm, short.

1–3, proximalmost axillary to bracts below leaves, to 25-flowered, hemispherical to globose.

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 3.5–4 mm;

anthers ± equaling filaments;

ovules (1–)2 per locule;

pedicel 0.5–1.3 cm.

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

purplish black, globose, 9–11 mm, not glaucous.

= 26.

= 52.