Flora of North America species comparison

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

solitary or fascicled, erect, mostly unbranched, 1.5–4.5(–6) 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 linear-lanceolate, to 1 mm;

petiole absent;

blade linear to linear-lanceolate, (1–)3–6(–7) × 0.3–0.6(–1) cm, base cuneate to obtuse, margins crenate-dentate, teeth with prominent blackened tips, not incurved, apex acute;

midvein prominent, especially proximally, 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, 3–9 cm;

staminate cymules crowded, 3–5-flowered;

pistillate flowers 3–4, crowded;

bracts broadly deltate, to 1 mm, apex acute, glands patelliform, sessile, 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 3/4 length, to 4 mm.

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

lobes of gynobase to 1 mm;

columella persistent.

globose, 6–8 mm diam., shallowly 3-lobed;

lobes of gynobase 2–3 mm;

columella often persistent.

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

caruncle minute.

gray, ellipsoid, 5 × 5 mm, smooth;

caruncle white, broadly crescent-shaped, 1 × 1.3–1.5 mm.