Flora of North America species comparison

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

prickles absent.

perennial, climbing, branching, ± woody, glabrous, ± unarmed, to stunted, rigid (shrublike), densely armed;

prickles pale green with dark tips, recurved, flattened, stout, 1–2 mm;

stems (especially in nodal areas) with small, waxlike nodules often connected by arachnoid filaments.

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 disposed;

petiole 0.5–2 cm;

blade variable, dull green, thick, narrowly oblong-elliptic, elliptic-ovate, or oval, conspicuously veined, 2–19 × 0.6–13.5 cm, not glaucous or pubescent, base pointed to rounded to narrowly cordate, margins spinose, or sometimes entire with thick edges, apex abruptly mucronate, spiny, or emarginate.

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

peduncle to 12+ cm, short.

few to numerous, axillary to leaves, few to numerous-flowered, ± open;

peduncle to 1.6 cm, ± equaling or shorter than subtending petiole.

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 ca. 1.5 mm;

ovule 1 per locule.

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

purplish black, globose, sometimes pointed, ca. 6 mm, not glaucous.

;

rhizomes short.

= 26.