Flora of North America species comparison

becoming stout, woody.

erect or ascending to prostrate, usually branched proximally;

main stem 0.8–3 mm diam. proximally.

prostrate to erect, simple or branched.

stipules conspicuous, dull white to tan, narrowly triangular, 4.5–11 mm, apex long-acuminate;

blade linear, (0.6–)1–5.5 cm, fleshy, apex apiculate to spine-tipped;

axillary leaves 1–2+ per cluster.

opposite or sometimes appearing whorled, bases connate or not, sometimes petiolate or often sessile, stipulate;

stipules ovate or deltate to lanceolate or bristlelike, scarious;

blade subulate or subtriangular to linear and threadlike or spatulate to ovate or orbiculate, seldom succulent.

terminal or axillary cymes, or flowers solitary;

bracts scarious or absent;

involucel bracteoles absent.

erect, divergent, or reflexed in fruit.

present or flowers sessile.

sepals connate 0.5–1.8 mm proximally, lobes often 3-veined, ovate to lanceolate, 4.5–7 mm, to 8 mm in fruit, margins 0.3–0.7 mm wide, apex blunt to rounded;

petals white or pink to rosy, elliptic to obovate, 0.9–1.3 times as long as sepals in flower;

stamens 9–10;

styles 0.6–3 mm.

bisexual or rarely unisexual;

perianth and androecium hypogynous or perigynous;

hypanthium absent or dish- or cup-shaped;

sepals 5, distinct or sometimes connate proximally, hooded (Drymaria, Polycarpon) or not, awned (Polycarpon) or not;

petals absent or (3–)5, blade clawed (Drymaria) or not, auricles absent, coronal appendages absent, blade apex entire, erose, or 2(–4)-fid, sometimes emarginate;

stamens (1–)3–5(–10), in 1 or 2 whorls, usually arising from base of ovary or from rim of hypanthium (Spergula, Spergularia);

staminodes absent;

ovary 1-locular;

styles 1 or 3, occasionally 2 or 5, distinct or sometimes connate proximally;

stigmas 3, occasionally 2 or 5.

capsules, opening by 3 or 5, occasionally 4 valves;

carpophore sometimes present.

tan, 4.6–10 mm, 0.8–1.4 times as long as sepals.

± red-brown, often with submarginal groove or depression, suborbiculate to pyriform, compressed, (0.6–)0.7–1.2 mm, smooth to faintly or prominently tuberculate or sculpturing of parallel, wavy lines or of low, rounded mounds, not papillate;

wing absent or white to reddish brown proximally, 0.1–0.3 mm wide, margins irregular.

3–150+, whitish or tan to often brown or black, ± triangular, pyriform, or reniform to circular, subglobose or laterally compressed to angular (Polycarpon);

embryo peripheral, curved or rarely annular to spirally curved (Spergula).

simple to 3-compound or flowers solitary and axillary.

= [7], 8, 9, (11), 12.