Flora of North America species comparison

fascicled, spreading, branching throughout, 1–4.5 dm.

fascicled, erect, branching scattered proximally and crowded distally, (1.4–)2–3.5(–4) dm.

alternate;

stipules linear, to 1 mm;

petiole absent;

blade usually obovate-spatulate, rarely narrowly elliptic, 1–-4 × 0.5–1.5 cm, base cuneate, margins coarsely spinulose-dentate, teeth without prominent blackened tips, not incurved, apex rounded to obtuse;

midrib prominent, secondary veins obscure.

alternate;

stipules absent;

petiole absent;

blade linear, 2–4(–6) × 0.1–0.3(–0.4) cm, base acute, margins entire or remotely denticulate, teeth without prominent blackened tips, not incurved, apex usually acute, rarely acuminate;

venation not prominent.

pedunculate, 2.5–-5 cm;

staminate flowers ± widely spaced, 1 per node;

pistillate flowers 3–4, widely spaced;

bracts ovate, 1 mm, apex mucronate, glands patelliform, ± sessile, 0.7 mm diam.

sessile or rarely short-pedunculate, 6–-7 cm;

staminate flowers crowded distally, 1 per node;

pistillate flowers 3–5, crowded;

bracts broadly ovate, to 1.5 mm, apex mucronulate or acuminate, glands patelliform, sessile, to 1.3 mm diam.

calyx 1 mm.

calyx to 1 mm.

sepals fugacious, 3, minute;

styles connate only at base, 1.5 mm.

sepals 0;

styles connate only at base, to 4 mm.

ovoid-pyriform, 4 × 5 mm, deeply 3-lobed;

lobes of gynobase to 1 mm;

columella persistent.

oblate, 3 × 4 mm, deeply 3-lobed;

lobes of gynobase 1.5–2 mm;

columella persistent.

gray to black, ellipsoid, 2.5 × 2 mm, smooth;

caruncle minute.

brown, often mottled, ovoid, 2.3 × 1.3 mm, smooth;

caruncle minute.