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| 1 Leaves abaxially canescent, margins mostly entire; fruit calyx open, exposing pyrenes |
| 1 Leaves abaxially pubescent, villous or glabrous, margins toothed; fruit calyx not fully open. |
| ..2 Leaves spatulate or oblanceolate, < 13 mm wide; fruit < 6 mm diameter; pyrenes about 3 mm long |
| ..2 Leaves variously shaped but most > 13 mm wide; fruit > 6 mm; pyrenes 4 mm long or more. |
| ....3 Leaves abaxially with dense hair tufts in proximal main vein axils, especially in spring; [plants typically of wet or floodplain habitats]. |
| ......4 Inflorescence simple, 1-5-flowered; fruit 10-15 mm diameter, lustrous red, mature in late spring. |
| ........5 Leaf blades mostly 5-7 cm long, elliptic, margin wavy or with uneven, blunt teeth |
| ........5 Leaf blades usually < 5 cm long, most obovate, margin finely toothed. |
..........6 Leaf adaxial surface usually glossy; whitish hair tufts in main vein axils abaxially |
| ..........6 Leaf adaxial surface matte; reddish hair tufts in main vein axils abaxially |
| ......4 Inflorescence compound, 5-20-flowered; fruit 5-15 mm diameter, dull red or orange-red, mature in autumn. |
| ............ 7 Petiole 5-10 mm long; terminal shoot leaves < 25 mm broad |
| ............ 7 Petiole > 10 mm long; terminal shoot leaves > 25 mm broad; [Virides series and hybrids]. |
| ............ ..8 Leaves glabrous, except for hair tufts. |
| ............ ....9 Leaves mostly ovate; terminal shoot leaves suborbicular, unlobed or barely lobed; bases rounded |
| ............ ....9 Leaves predominately lanceolate, elliptical, rhomboid or obovate; terminal shoot leaves often ovate; bases usually cuneate. |
| ............ ......10 Leaves frequently lanceolate |
| ............ ......10 Leaves rarely lanceolate, mostly elliptical or rhomboid. |
| ............ ........11 Leaf serrations small or crenate; terminal shoot leaves often incised on each side nearly to midrib |
| ............ ........11 Leaf serrations acute; terminal shoot leaves moderately lobed |
| ............ ..8 Leaves and/or inflorescences hairy, at least in spring. |
| ............ ..........12 Terminal shoot leaves mostly ovate or rhomboid |
| ............ ............ 13 Inflorescence densely pubescent; bracteoles thin, linear, caducous; leaves finely toothed |
| ............ ............ 13 Inflorescence villous; bracteoles firm, persist through anthesis; leaves coarsely toothed |
| ............ ..........12 Terminal shoot leaves orbicular, elliptical or obovate |
| ............ ............ ..14 Terminal shoot leaves orbicular, unlobed; young leaves white-tomentose; inflorescence glabrate |
| ............ ............ ..14 Terminal leaves elliptical or obovate, prominently toothed; young leaves and inflorescence pubescent |
| ....3 Leaves glabrous or with hairs scattered, not in tufts; [plants typically of upland habitats]. |
| ............ ............ ....15 Pyrenes channeled or pitted on inner sides. |
| ............ ............ ......16 Leaves persistently pubescent, at least on petiole or main veins abaxially. |
| ............ ............ ........17 Sepals glandular-serrate or subentire; inflorescence > 12-flowered |
| ............ ............ ........17 Sepals often deeply glandular-serrate or glandular-pectinate; inflorescence < 10-flowered |
| ............ ............ ..........18 Leaves sharply toothed and lobed |
| ............ ............ ..........18 Leaves dentate-serrate, usually unlobed |
| ............ ............ ......16 Leaves glabrous or glabrate abaxially after maturity |
| ............ ............ ............ 19 Leaves scabrate adaxially when young; stamens 7-10 |
| ............ ............ ............ 19 Leaves not scabrate; stamens 5-20. |
| ............ ............ ............ ..20 Pyrenes with a shallow groove or depression; leaf venation vaguely reticulate, barely impressed adaxially |
| ............ ............ ............ ..20 Pyrenes deeply grooved or pitted; leaf venation distinctly reticulate and impressed adaxially. |
| ............ ............ ............ ....21 Stamens 5-10 per flower; anthers 1-2 mm long |
| ............ ............ ............ ....21 Stamens 15-20 per flower; anthers < 1 mm long. |
| ............ ............ ............ ......22 Leaf blades often narrowly obovate or broadly elliptic; fruit 6-8 mm in diameter |
| ............ ............ ............ ......22 Leaf blades broadly obovate, rhombic or suborbicular; fruit 7-12 mm in diameter |
| ............ ............ ....15 Pyrenes plane on inner sides. |
| ............ ............ ............ ........23 Sepals foliaceous, equaling or exceeding petal length in flower and persistent on fruit; flowers usually 1-5 per inflorescence. |
| ............ ............ ............ ..........24 Terminal shoot leaves broadly elliptic or ovate, often shallowly lobed |
| ............ ............ ............ ..........24 Terminal shoot leaves mostly elliptic or obovate, unlobed |
| ............ ............ ............ ........23 Sepals not foliaceous, shorter than petals; flowers 5 or more per inflorescence |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Thorns short (< 2 cm), or spinose spur shoots present; main lateral leaf veins run to sinuses and lobe tips in lobed leaves. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Fruit black or blue; styles and pyrenes 3-5; most leaves elliptical; [native] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Fruit red; styles and pyrenes 2; most leaves rhombic or obovate; [exotic] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Thorns usually > 2 cm long; main lateral leaf veins lead only to lobe tips in lobed leaves. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Petioles distinctly glandular, usually with 3 or more glands persistent. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Stamens 5-10 (-15) per flower. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Fruit flesh usually hard or dense; calyx collar elevated on fruit; leaves moderately lobed on terminal shoots. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Anthers white or yellow |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Anthers pink or purplish. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Sepals deeply glandular-serrate; anthers pink |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Sepals finely glandular-serrate; anthers purplish |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Fruit flesh dense or soft; calyx collar sessile or nearly so on fruit; leaves shallowly lobed or unlobed on terminal shoots. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Terminal shoot leaves suborbicular and 6-8 cm wide; [rare AL endemic] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Terminal shoot leaves ovate or obovate, < 6 cm wide; [uncommon but widespread] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Leaf blades often obovate, 5-8 cm long |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Leaf blades broadly elliptic or oval, most 4-6 cm long. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Leaves usually shallowly but sharply lobed; anthers purplish; [AL, GA, SC] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Leaves bluntly lobed or unlobed; anthers whitish or pink; [OK, AR, OK] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Stamens usually 20 per flower (often 30 or more in C. triflora). |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Leaves pubescent, at least abaxially; anthers white or yellowish. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Sepals remotely glandular-serrate; petiolar glands sessile; fruit usually 8-12 mm diameter |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Sepals deeply glandular-serrate; petiolar glands stalked; fruit usually > 12 mm diameter. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Leaves thin; inflorescence simple, 3-5-flowered; stamens usually 30 or more |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Leaves firm; inflorescence compound, > 5-flowered; stamens 20. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..38 Terminal shoot leaves 4-5 cm wide, unlobed; sepals usually erect on fruit |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..38 Terminal shoot leaves 5-8 cm wide, with lobelike points; sepals patent in fruit |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Leaves glabrous; anthers pink to purplish, rarely white. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Calyx collar sessile on fruit; fruit flesh soft and succulent at maturity. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......40 Leaves mostly unlobed; inflorescence scabrous-pubescent; petiolar glands stalked |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......40 Leaves acutely lobed; inflorescence glabrate; petiolar glands sessile |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Calyx collar often elevated on fruit; fruit flesh usually dense or dry; [Pulcherrimae series]. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........41 Terminal shoot leaves shallowly lobed or unlobed, apex obtuse, margins crenate-serrate |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........41 Terminal shoot leaves shallowly to moderately lobed, apex usually acute, margins serrate. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........42 Leaf margins often taper in a straight line from midpoint to apex |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........42 Leaf margins usually convex or bowed from midpoint to apex. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 43 Petioles of smaller leaves winged 1/3 or less of length; leaf lobes convex-sided |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 43 Petioles of smaller leaves winged 1/2 length; leaf lobes straight on inner/distal side. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..44 Leaf blades mostly 4-6 cm long, serrations obtuse; fruit ellipsoid or oval, pale yellow |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..44 Leaf blades often 5-8 cm long, serrations acute; fruit subglobose, red or yellowish |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Petioles eglandular, or occasionally with 1 or 2 glands deciduous or obscure after spring. xx |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....45 Petioles often half as long as the leaf blade, or longer. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......46 Stamens 10 per flower; leaf blades with 4-6 pairs of main lateral veins; calyx sessile on mature fruit |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........47 Petiole usually 15-20 mm long; fruit not pruinose |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........47 Petiole usually 10-20 mm long; fruit usually pruinose |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......46 Stamens 20 per flower; leaf blades with 3-4 pairs of main lateral veins; calyx collar often elevated on fruit. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........48 Flowers 8-10 mm wide; fruit ellipsoid |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........48 Flowers 12-17 mm wide; fruit subglobose. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 49 Leaf blades 20-30 mm long, often elliptic, apex acute |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 49 Leaf blades 30-40 mm long, usually rhombic or obovate, apex obtuse |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....45 Petioles mostly 1/3 or less as long as the leaf blade. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..50 Mature leaves pubescent or villous on veins. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....51 Terminal shoot leaves usually ovate or rhomboid. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......52 Stamens 10-15; styles 2 or 3; inflorescence slightly pubescent |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......52 Stamens usually 20; styles 5; inflorescence branches canescent or tomentose. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........53 Terminal shoot leaves 4-6 cm long, often rhomboid |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........53 Terminal shoot leaves 5-9 cm long, mostly ovate or oval. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........54 Fruit yellow; [TX endemic] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........54 Fruit red or orange-red; [collectively widespread, but not TX] |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 55 Leaves flat, serrations large or coarse |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 55 Leaves usually cupped, serrations small, acute |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....51 Terminal shoot leaves mostly obovate or broadly elliptical. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..56 Styles and pyrenes usually 2 or 3; primary leaf veins rather obscure or not impressed; petiole winged to base. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....57 Inflorescence tomentose; leaves pubescent abaxially; stamens 20 |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....57 Inflorescence villous or glabrate; leaves usually villous; stamens 10 |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..56 Styles and pyrenes 3-5; primary leaf veins impressed adaxially, conspicuous abaxially; petiole winged near blade. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......58 Stamens 10-20; anthers white or yellowish, rarely pink; sepals glandular-serrate. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........59 Leaves usually unlobed; primary lateral veins usually 4 or 5 per side |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........59 Leaves shallowly lobed; primary lateral veins 5 or 6 per side |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......58 Stamens 20; anthers pink; sepals subentire. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........60 Inflorescence stems glabrous; thorns > 3 cm long |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........60 Inflorescence stems hairy; thorns < 3 cm long |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..50 Mature leaves glabrous or glabrate. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 61 Primary leaf veins not impressed adaxially, somewhat obscure abaxially; petiole <10 mm long, winged to near base. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..62 Terminal shoot leaves 4.5-7 cm long; 1-3 styles and pyrenes. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....63 Terminal shoot leaves elliptic to broadly obovate |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....63 Terminal shoot leaves often suborbicular |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..62 Terminal shoot leaves mostly 2.5-4 cm long; 3-5 styles and pyrenes. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......64 Inflorescence pilose; stamens 20; anthers yellow |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......64 Inflorescence sparsely hairy or glabrous; stamens usually 10-15; anthers usually pink |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 61 Primary leaf veins impressed adaxially, conspicuous abaxially; petiole 10 mm or more, partly winged near blade. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........65 Leaf apex usually rounded; fruit 6-8 mm |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........65 Leaf apex acute; fruit 10 mm or more. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........66 Leaves with 6-9 pairs of main lateral veins; inflorescence villous or appressed-hairy. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 67 Leaf serrations acuminate, 2-3 mm long; 2-3 styles/pyrenes; branches dark gray |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 67 Leaf serrations acute, 1-2 mm long; 3-5 styles/pyrenes; branches pale ashy-gray |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........66 Leaves with 5-7 pairs of main lateral veins; inflorescence glabrous or slightly pubescent. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..68 Terminal shoot leaves sharply lobed; stamens usually 20 |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..68 Terminal shoot leaves barely lobed or unlobed; stamens 5-15. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....69 Leaves mostly rhomboid or suborbicular; stamens 5-10 |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....69 Leaves obovate, oblanceolate or elliptical; stamens 10-15. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......70 Sepals glandular-serrate; stamens white, yellowish or pink. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......70 Sepals subentire; anthers pink or purplish. |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........71 Leaves often with 1-3 lobelike, asymmetrical points; styles 3 or 4 |
| ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........71 Leaves unlobed; styles usually 2 |