General: Annual herb from a rhizome; stems prostrate to erect, solitary from the rooted rhizome, few to numerous, 30-100 cm tall/long.
Leaves: Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves alternate, lanceolate, mostly smooth, 5-10 cm long, short-stalked; stipules sparsely hairy, 10-15 mm long, sometimes fringed with bristly hairs at the tops.
Flowers: Inflorescence of axillary and terminal, spikelike, interrupted racemes; perianths greenish with white margins, glandular-dotted, 5-lobed to about 1/2 the distance to the base; stamens usually 8.
Fruits: Achenes, 2- to 3-angled, deep brownish-black to black, smooth, shiny.
If more than one illustration is
available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two
subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below.
Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
