Flora of North America species comparison

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Euphorbia dentata

Euphorbia pubentissima

green poinsettia, tooth poinsettia, tooth spurge

false flowering spurge, southeastern flowering spurge
Habit Herbs, annual, with taproot. Herbs, perennial, with spreading rootstock.
Stems

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

branches usually ± straight, occasionally proximal branches arcuate.

erect, usually unbranched, occasionally few branched distally, solitary or few, previous year's dead stems not persistent, 30–65 cm, usually glabrous, rarely villous.
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.

alternate;

stipules 1 mm;

petiole (0–)1–2(–10) mm, glabrous or densely villous;

blade lanceolate, lance-ovate, elliptic, or obovate, 40–68 × 6–18 mm, often reflexed, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire, apex usually rounded, sometimes broadly acute, abaxial surface glabrous or villous, adaxial surface usually glabrous, rarely sparsely villous;

venation occasionally obscure on small leaves, midvein conspicuous.
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.

campanulate or hemispheric, 1.3–1.7 × 1.8–2.2 mm, glabrous or villous;

glands 5 (7–10 on central cyathium), green, reniform or broadly elliptic, 0.3–0.5 × 0.5–0.8 mm;

appendages white, orbiculate or narrowly flabellate, 1–2.2 × 1.5 mm, entire.
Staminate flowers

8–10.

20–25.
Pistillate flowers

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

ovary glabrous or sparsely villous;

styles 0.6–1.1 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.

globose, 2–2.4 × 3.3–4.8 mm, glabrous or sparsely villous;

columella 1.8–2.1 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.

light gray, ovoid, 2.2–2.4 × 1.6–1.8 mm, with shallow depressions;

caruncle absent.
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.

in terminal pleiochasia;

peduncle 1–5 mm (or 15–40 mm on early flowering individuals), usually glabrous, occasionally sparsely villous.
2n

= 28.

Euphorbia dentata

Euphorbia pubentissima
Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. Flowering and fruiting spring–fall.
Habitat Bottomland forests, stream and river banks, bluffs, prairies, glades, fallow fields, roadsides, railroad cinders, open disturbed areas. Open fields, cliffs, woods, floodplains.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.) 0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
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]
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MD; MS; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

The taxonomic history of Euphorbia pubentissima is complex. The species has been included within a very broadly defined E. corollata in the past. Therefore, its geographic distribution appears significantly more wide-ranging in some treatments. The framework established by M. J. Huft (1979) and later by K. R. Park (1998) is followed here. Euphorbia pubentissima is recognized as a variable species restricted to the southeastern United States. The species can be distinguished from E. corollata by its shorter involucral gland appendages and smaller seeds. Euphorbia paniculata Elliott, which sometimes is applied to E. pubentissima, is an illegitimate name (a later homonym of Euphorbia paniculata Desfontaines).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 321. FNA vol. 12, p. 250.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Poinsettia 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. 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. 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. 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 E. apocynifolia, E. corollata var. paniculata, E. corollata var. zinniiflora, E. zinniiflora, Tithymalopsis apocynifolia, T. paniculata, T. zinniiflora
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 211. (1803) Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 212. (1803)
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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).



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