Flora of North America species comparison

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

solitary or fascicled, erect or ascending, mostly unbranched, (1–)2.5–7(–12) 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 0–0.4(–0.8) cm;

blade ovate, elliptic, lanceolate, obovate, or oblanceolate, 1–10 × 0.5–-3 cm, base acute or broadly cuneate, margins serrulate to crenulate, teeth without prominent blackened tips, incurved, apex acute, obtuse or rounded;

midvein prominent, secondary veins ± obscure.

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 short-pedunculate, 3–9 cm;

staminate cymules ± crowded, 4–7-flowered;

pistillate flowers 3–4, crowded;

bracts broadly ovate, 1.5 × 2 mm, apex rounded or obtuse, glands patelliform, sessile, 1.5–2 mm diam.

calyx 1 mm.

calyx 1 mm.

sepals fugacious, 3, minute;

styles connate only at base, 1.5 mm.

sepals persistent, 3, well developed, elliptic;

styles connate 1/3 length, to 5 mm.

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

lobes of gynobase to 1 mm;

columella persistent.

globose, 6–12 mm diam., shallowly 3-lobed;

lobes of gynobase 4–6 mm;

columella not persistent.

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

caruncle minute.

light gray, short cylindric, 4.5 × 3 mm, rugose;

caruncle white, broadly crescent-shaped, 1–1.3 mm.