Flora of North America species comparison

erect or prostrate basally, (20–)30–100(–170) cm, usually thick-fleshy, glabrous.

petiole 0–2(–8) mm (basal lateral branches usually distinctly petiolate to 8 mm) proximally, 0 mm distally;

blade (of proximal leaves) ovate, elliptic, or oblong, (15–)30–80(–145) × (7–)10–30(–45) mm, 1.5–3 times as long as wide, base obtuse proximally to cordate-amplexicaul in middle and ± cuneate distally, margins ± serrulate or denticulate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous, rarely glandular-hairy.

persistent, some withering in 2d year as new leaves expand;

blade orbiculate to reniform, 25+ mm wide, not leathery, base cordate to lobate, margins ± incised-crenate to dentate, teeth apices rounded to acute or acuminate, surfaces glabrous, rarely sparsely hairy;

basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 2–4 on each side of midvein.

6–25, axillary, 50–100(–150) mm, 5–10 mm diam., (20–)30–40(–60)-flowered, axis glabrous, rarely glandular-hairy;

bracts linear to lanceolate, 2–5 mm, apex acute.

erect, to 33 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 3+, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

flowers 12–100, loosely aggregated.

suberect or arcuate-erect to subpatent, curved upwards in fruit, 3–7(–10) mm, longer than subtending bracts, glabrous or hairy.

calyx lobes 2–3 mm, apex acute, glabrous, rarely hairy;

corolla lavender to pale blue, rarely pale lilac, (4–)6–8 mm diam.;

stamens 3–3.5 mm;

style 1.5–2.5 mm.

epipetalous.

ovules 10–16.

slightly compressed in cross section, globular, (2.5–)3–3.5(–4) × 2.5–3.2(–4) mm, apex rounded or ± emarginate, glabrous or sparsely short glandular-hairy.

glabrous or glabrescent.

40–77, yellow-brown, ellipsoid to subglobular, planoconvex, (0.3–)0.5–0.7 × 0.3–0.5 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.

4.

(3 or)4(or 5), apex entire or erose;

corolla blue, ± regular, campanulate, much longer than calyx, glabrous or puberulent, tube conspicuous.

= 36.