Flora of North America species comparison

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

fascicled, decumbent to erect, branching distally, 0.5–3 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.

opposite or subopposite;

stipules absent;

petiole absent;

blade elliptic to elliptic-spatulate, 1.5–4(–4.5) × 0.5–1.4(–1.8) cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins prominently spinulose-dentate, teeth without prominent blackened tips, not incurved, apex acuminate;

midvein and secondary veins 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, 1–1.2(–2) cm;

staminate flowers crowded, 1 per node;

pistillate flowers 1–3, crowded;

bracts linear-lanceolate, to 2 mm, apex acute, glands patelliform, long-stalked, 1.5–-2 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 3 mm.

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

lobes of gynobase to 1 mm;

columella persistent.

ovoid, 3.5 × 4–4.5 mm, deeply 3-lobed;

lobes of gynobase 2 mm;

columella sometimes persistent.

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

caruncle minute.

mottled light gray, cylindric-ovoid, 3.5 × 1.8 mm, smooth;

caruncle absent.