Flora of North America species comparison

perennial, prostrate to clambering, branching, slender, to 1 m, ± woody, densely woolly-pubescent, usually prickly (especially at base).

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

prickles, when present, thin, 1–5 mm.

mostly evergreen, ± evenly disposed;

petiole 0.05–0.25 cm, often longer on sterile shoots;

blade gray-green, drying to ashy gray-green, obovate to ovate-lanceolate, with 3 prominent veins, 6–10.5 × 5–8 cm, glabrous adaxially, densely puberulent abaxially, base cordate to deeply notched, margins entire, apex bluntly 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.

1–7, axillary to leaves, 5–16-flowered, loose, spherical;

peduncle 0.2–0.8 cm, shorter than to 1.5 as long as petiole of subtending leaf.

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

peduncle 2–5 cm.

perianth yellowish;

tepals 3–4 mm;

anthers much shorter than filaments;

ovule 1 per locule;

pedicel thin, 0.1–0.4 cm.

perianth yellow to bronze;

tepals 3–7 mm;

anthers longer than filaments;

ovule 1 per locule;

pedicel 0.5–1 cm.

red, ovoid, 5–8 mm, with acute beaks, not glaucous.

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

;

rhizomes tuberous, or spinose, linear.

= 28, 32.