in late spring to midsummer white flowers are produced that are  mm  inches in diameter with reflexed petals that are ovate-lanceolate in shape and – cm ⁄–⁄ inch long inflorescences are made up of compound terminal cymes with large showy white bracts that resemble petals the bracts are broadly ovate and  to  cm ⁄ to ⁄ inch long and  to  cm ⁄ to ⁄ inch wide with  parallel running veins the lower nodes on the stem have greatly reduced rudimentary leaves the calyx tube is obovate in shape and  mm long covered with densely pubescent hairs along with grayish white appressed trichomes stamens are very short being  mm long the anthers are yellowish white in color narrowly ovoid in shape the styles are  mm long and glabrous plants are for the most part self-sterile and dependent on pollinators for sexual reproduction pollinators include bumblebees solitary bees beeflies and syrphid flies the fruits look like berries but are drupes