Flora of North America species comparison

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

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

prickles absent.

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.

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.

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.

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

peduncle to 12+ cm, short.

perianth yellowish;

tepals 3–4 mm;

anthers much shorter than filaments;

ovule 1 per locule;

pedicel thin, 0.1–0.4 cm.

perianth greenish;

tepals 35–45 mm;

anthers equaling or shorter than filaments;

ovules (1–)2 per locule;

pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm.

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

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

= 26.