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snow-on-the-prairie

Habit Herbs, annual, with taproot.
Stems

erect, unbranched or branched, 40–100 cm, pilose.

Leaves

alternate;

stipules 0.3–0.4 mm;

petiole 0.3–1 mm, pilose;

blade narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, 37–54 × 7–17 mm, base cuneate to slightly rounded, margins entire, apex aristate or acute, surfaces pilose;

venation obscure, only midvein conspicuous.

Involucre

campanulate, 2.7–3.5 × 2.2–3 mm, densely pilose;

glands 4–5, green to pale greenish yellow, reniform, 0.6–0.7 × 1.4–1.6 mm;

appendages white, obdeltate to orbiculate, 1.4–2.5 × 1.7–3 mm, dentate to erose.

Staminate flowers

30–70.

Pistillate flowers

ovary pilose;

styles 0.7–1.2 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.

Capsules

depressed-ovoid, 3.5–7.5 × 6–8.7 mm, densely pilose;

columella 4.5–5.5 mm.

Seeds

tan to brown, ovoid, 4.3–4.5 × 3.7–3.9 mm, alveolate;

caruncle absent.

Cyathia

in terminal pleiochasia dichasial and pleiochasial bracts linear to narrowly oblanceolate, with conspicuous white margins;

peduncle 1.2–3 mm, densely pilose.

Euphorbia bicolor

Phenology Flowering and fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat Prairies, blackland (calcareous) prairies, pastures and clearings in former blackland prairie areas, roadside clearings.
Elevation 100–200 m. (300–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; LA; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Euphorbia bicolor is similar in appearance to E. marginata but can be distinguished by its linear to narrowly oblanceolate bracts and the presence of hairs on all parts of the plant.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 243.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Alectoroctonum
Sibling taxa
E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bifurcata, E. bilobata, E. blodgettii, E. bombensis, E. brachycera, E. capitellata, E. carunculata, E. chaetocalyx, E. chamaesula, E. cinerascens, E. commutata, E. conferta, E. cordifolia, E. corollata, E. crenulata, E. cumulicola, E. cuphosperma, E. curtisii, E. cyathophora, E. cyparissias, E. davidii, E. deltoidea, E. dendroides, E. dentata, E. discoidalis, E. eriantha, E. exigua, E. exserta, E. exstipulata, E. falcata, E. fendleri, E. florida, E. floridana, E. garberi, E. georgiana, E. geyeri, E. glyptosperma, E. golondrina, E. gracillima, E. graminea, E. helioscopia, E. helleri, E. heterophylla, E. hexagona, E. hirta, E. hooveri, E. humistrata, E. hypericifolia, E. hyssopifolia, E. indivisa, E. innocua, E. inundata, E. ipecacuanhae, E. jaegeri, E. jejuna, E. laredana, E. lasiocarpa, E. lata, E. lathyris, E. longicruris, E. lurida, E. macropus, E. maculata, E. marginata, E. meganaesos, E. melanadenia, E. mendezii, E. mercurialina, E. mesembrianthemifolia, E. micromera, E. misera, E. missurica, E. myrsinites, E. nephradenia, E. nutans, E. oblongata, E. ocellata, E. ophthalmica, E. ouachitana, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. pediculifera, E. peplidion, E. peplus, E. perennans, E. pergamena, E. pinetorum, E. platyphyllos, E. platysperma, E. polycarpa, E. polygonifolia, E. polyphylla, E. porteriana, E. prostrata, E. pubentissima, E. purpurea, E. radians, E. rayturneri, E. revoluta, E. roemeriana, E. rosescens, E. schizoloba, E. serpens, E. serpillifolia, E. serrata, E. serrula, E. setiloba, E. simulans, E. spathulata, E. stictospora, E. strictior, E. telephioides, E. terracina, E. tetrapora, E. texana, E. theriaca, E. thymifolia, E. tithymaloides, E. trachysperma, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
Name authority Engelmann & A. Gray: Boston J. Nat. Hist. 5: 233. (1845)
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