FNA: Euphorbia dentata vs. Euphorbia laredana

	Euphorbia dentata	Euphorbia laredana
	green poinsettia, tooth poinsettia, tooth spurge	Laredo sandmat
Habit	Herbs, annual, with taproot.	Herbs, annual, with taproot.
Stems	erect or ascending, 15–60 cm, both pilose and inconspicuously strigillose; branches usually ± straight, occasionally proximal branches arcuate.	prostrate, ± mat-forming, 10–20 cm, densely ashy pilose-tomentose.
Leaves	usually opposite, occasionally alternate at distal nodes; petiole 5–20 mm, pilose; blade 30–70 × 4–35 mm, narrowly lanceolate to suborbiculate, usually broadest below middle, base usually acute to subobtuse, rarely subtruncate, margins coarsely crenate-dentate or doubly crenate, strigillose, flat to slightly revolute, apex broadly acute, abaxial surface long pilose with weak, filiform hairs, adaxial surface sparsely pilose to glabrate; venation pinnate, midvein prominent.	opposite; stipules distinct, filiform, 0.5–1 mm, pilose-tomentose; petiole 0.5–1 mm, pilose-tomentose; blade ovate to elliptic-oblong, 3–6 × 3–5 mm, base markedly asymmetric, rounded to slightly auriculate, margins usually entire, rarely largest leaves sparsely serrulate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces moderately to densely strigose; 3-veined from base.
Involucre	campanulate, 3.8 × 1.8 mm, glabrous; involucral lobes divided into several linear, smooth lobes; glands (1–)2, green, sessile and broadly attached, 0.7–0.9 × 0.9–1.2 mm, opening oblong, glabrous; appendages absent.	obconic, 0.6–1 × 0.5–1 mm, densely strigose; glands 4, yellowish to reddish, oval to oblong, 0.1 × 0.2–0.3 mm; appendages white to pink, rudimentary or minute, (0–)0.1–0.2 × (0–)0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin crenulate.
Staminate flowers	8–10.	3–5.
Pistillate flowers	ovary glabrous, styles 1.2 mm, 2-fid 1/2 to nearly entire length.	ovary densely white villous; styles 0.1–0.2 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.
Capsules	depressed-globose, 2.5–2.8 × 3.5–4 mm, 3-lobed, glabrous; columella 1.8–2.1 mm.	broadly ovoid, 1.3–1.5 × 1.4–1.5 mm, villous on keels, often glabrous or less hairy between keels; columella 1.1–1.3 mm.
Seeds	pale gray to black, ovoid, rounded in cross section, 2.1–2.7 × 1.7–2.1 mm, evenly minute-tuberculate; caruncle 0.4–0.6 mm.	white, barely concealing brown undercoat, 4-angled, sharply angled in cross section, abaxial faces plane to convex, adaxial faces concave, 1.1–1.2 × 0.5–0.7 mm, with several rounded, irregular, transverse ridges.
Cyathial	arrangement: terminal pleiochasial branches usually 3, occasionally reduced to congested cyme, 1–2-branched; pleiochasial bracts 2–4, often whorled, wholly green or paler green, white, or mauve at base, similar in shape and size to distal leaves or slightly narrower; dichasial bracts similar in shape to distal leaves but smaller (often highly reduced).
Cyathia	peduncle 0.7–1 mm.	solitary or in small, cymose clusters at distal nodes or on congested, axillary branches; peduncle 0.5–1.5 mm.
2n	= 28.

	Euphorbia dentata	Euphorbia laredana
Phenology	Flowering and fruiting spring–fall.	Flowering and fruiting almost year-round.
Habitat	Bottomland forests, stream and river banks, bluffs, prairies, glades, fallow fields, roadsides, railroad cinders, open disturbed areas.	Open sandy, loamy, or gravelly sites, old dunes, pastures.
Elevation	0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)	0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution	AL; AR; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; NE; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV; ON; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	TX; Mexico (Tamaulipas) [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Euphorbia dentata is native from northern Mexico and the south central United States north and east through the Ohio River Valley. Scattered occurrences in the southeastern United States likely represent adventive populations. Reports of E. dentata as a noxious weed (from the United States and the Old World) should most likely be attributed to introductions of E. davidii. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Euphorbia laredana is similar to E. prostrata but differs from that species in its more densely tomentose indumentum, leaves with usually entire rather than serrulate margins, and slightly longer seeds with rounded rather than sharp ridges. The species occurs primarily in southern Texas. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 12, p. 321.	FNA vol. 12, p. 274.
Parent taxa	Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Poinsettia	Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum
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. bicolor, 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. 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	E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, 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. 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
Synonyms	Poinsettia dentata	Chamaesyce laredana
Name authority	Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 211. (1803)	Millspaugh: Pittonia 2: 88. (1890)
Web links	Local floras: CA, OR Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, IL Wildflowers, KS Wildflowers, LA Plants, MD Biodiversity, MI Flora, MO Plants, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Euphorbia laredana

green poinsettia, tooth poinsettia, tooth spurge

Laredo sandmat

Habit

Herbs, annual, with taproot.

Stems

erect or ascending, 15–60 cm, both pilose and inconspicuously strigillose;

branches usually ± straight, occasionally proximal branches arcuate.

prostrate, ± mat-forming, 10–20 cm, densely ashy pilose-tomentose.

Leaves

usually opposite, occasionally alternate at distal nodes;

petiole 5–20 mm, pilose;

blade 30–70 × 4–35 mm, narrowly lanceolate to suborbiculate, usually broadest below middle, base usually acute to subobtuse, rarely subtruncate, margins coarsely crenate-dentate or doubly crenate, strigillose, flat to slightly revolute, apex broadly acute, abaxial surface long pilose with weak, filiform hairs, adaxial surface sparsely pilose to glabrate;

venation pinnate, midvein prominent.

opposite;

stipules distinct, filiform, 0.5–1 mm, pilose-tomentose;

petiole 0.5–1 mm, pilose-tomentose;

blade ovate to elliptic-oblong, 3–6 × 3–5 mm, base markedly asymmetric, rounded to slightly auriculate, margins usually entire, rarely largest leaves sparsely serrulate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces moderately to densely strigose; 3-veined from base.

Involucre

campanulate, 3.8 × 1.8 mm, glabrous;

involucral lobes divided into several linear, smooth lobes;

glands (1–)2, green, sessile and broadly attached, 0.7–0.9 × 0.9–1.2 mm, opening oblong, glabrous;

appendages absent.

obconic, 0.6–1 × 0.5–1 mm, densely strigose;

glands 4, yellowish to reddish, oval to oblong, 0.1 × 0.2–0.3 mm;

appendages white to pink, rudimentary or minute, (0–)0.1–0.2 × (0–)0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin crenulate.

Staminate flowers

8–10.

3–5.

Pistillate flowers

ovary glabrous, styles 1.2 mm, 2-fid 1/2 to nearly entire length.

ovary densely white villous;

styles 0.1–0.2 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.

Capsules

depressed-globose, 2.5–2.8 × 3.5–4 mm, 3-lobed, glabrous;

columella 1.8–2.1 mm.

broadly ovoid, 1.3–1.5 × 1.4–1.5 mm, villous on keels, often glabrous or less hairy between keels;

columella 1.1–1.3 mm.

Seeds

pale gray to black, ovoid, rounded in cross section, 2.1–2.7 × 1.7–2.1 mm, evenly minute-tuberculate;

caruncle 0.4–0.6 mm.

white, barely concealing brown undercoat, 4-angled, sharply angled in cross section, abaxial faces plane to convex, adaxial faces concave, 1.1–1.2 × 0.5–0.7 mm, with several rounded, irregular, transverse ridges.

Cyathial

arrangement: terminal pleiochasial branches usually 3, occasionally reduced to congested cyme, 1–2-branched;

pleiochasial bracts 2–4, often whorled, wholly green or paler green, white, or mauve at base, similar in shape and size to distal leaves or slightly narrower;

dichasial bracts similar in shape to distal leaves but smaller (often highly reduced).

Cyathia

peduncle 0.7–1 mm.

solitary or in small, cymose clusters at distal nodes or on congested, axillary branches;

peduncle 0.5–1.5 mm.

= 28.

Euphorbia dentata

Euphorbia laredana

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting spring–fall.

Flowering and fruiting almost year-round.

Habitat

Bottomland forests, stream and river banks, bluffs, prairies, glades, fallow fields, roadsides, railroad cinders, open disturbed areas.

Open sandy, loamy, or gravelly sites, old dunes, pastures.

Elevation

0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)

0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)

Distribution

AL; AR; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; NE; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV; ON; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

TX; Mexico (Tamaulipas)

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Euphorbia dentata is native from northern Mexico and the south central United States north and east through the Ohio River Valley. Scattered occurrences in the southeastern United States likely represent adventive populations. Reports of E. dentata as a noxious weed (from the United States and the Old World) should most likely be attributed to introductions of E. davidii.

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

Euphorbia laredana is similar to E. prostrata but differs from that species in its more densely tomentose indumentum, leaves with usually entire rather than serrulate margins, and slightly longer seeds with rounded rather than sharp ridges. The species occurs primarily in southern Texas.

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

Source

FNA vol. 12, p. 321.

FNA vol. 12, p. 274.

Parent taxa

Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Poinsettia

Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum

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. bicolor, 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. 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

E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, 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. 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

Synonyms

Poinsettia dentata

Chamaesyce laredana

Name authority

Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 211. (1803)

Millspaugh: Pittonia 2: 88. (1890)

Web links

Local floras: CA, OR
Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, IL Wildflowers, KS Wildflowers, LA Plants, MD Biodiversity, MI Flora, MO Plants, PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database
LBJ Wildflower Center
SEINet
Plants of the World Online
Encyclopedia of Life
Wikipedia
Google Image Search

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America, OregonFlora

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Euphorbia dentata

Euphorbia laredana

Euphorbia dentata

Euphorbia laredana