Euphorbia glyptosperma |
Euphorbia strictior |
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corrugate-seed spurge, rib-seed sandmat, ridge-seed spurge |
panhandle spurge |
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Habit | Herbs, annual, with taproot. | Herbs, perennial, with cylindric rootstock. |
Stems | prostrate, loosely mat-forming, 5–40 cm, glabrous, sometimes slightly glaucous. |
erect, branched, densely clumped, previous year’s dead stems often persistent, 30–70 cm, glabrous. |
Leaves | opposite; stipules usually distinct, linear-subulate, usually irregularly fringed or lobed, rarely laciniate, 0.4–2 mm, glabrous; petiole 0.2–2 mm, glabrous; blade narrowly oblong to oblong-obovate or oblong-ovate, 3–15 × 2–7 mm, base asymmetric, one side angled and other rounded to shallowly cordate, margins minutely sparsely serrulate, especially near apex and on longer side, apex rounded to obtuse, abaxial surface usually pale grayish green, adaxial surface sometimes reddish tinged or with reddish blotch, both surfaces glabrous; palmately veined at base, pinnate distally. |
alternate, persisting, spreading or ascending; stipules to 0.1 mm; petiole absent; blade linear to narrowly oblanceolate, (20–)40–70 × (2–)4–5 mm, base narrowly cuneate, margins entire, apex broadly acute, surfaces glabrous; venation obscure, only midvein conspicuous on wider leaves. |
Involucre | obconic, 0.6–0.9 × 0.3–0.6 mm, glabrous; glands 4, red to purple, narrowly oblong-elliptic, 0.1–0.2 × 0.1–0.5 mm; appendages white or pinkish tinged, semilunate and fringing distal margin of gland, 0.1–0.3 × 0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin usually irregularly crenulate or lobed. |
campanulate or hemispheric, 1.2–2.4 × 2.2–3.2 mm, pilose; glands 5, green, broadly elliptic, 0.7–0.8 × 1.3–1.6 mm; appendages white, forming narrow rim around distal margin of gland, 0.2 × 1.5–1.8 mm, entire or erose. |
Staminate flowers | 1–5. |
20–25. |
Pistillate flowers | ovary glabrous; styles 0.1–0.3 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length. |
ovary strigillose to tomentulose; styles 0.4–0.6 mm, 2-fid at apex. |
Capsules | broadly ovoid, 1.3–1.9 × 1.6–2 mm, glabrous; columella 1.3–1.5 mm. |
globose, all 3 locules fertile, 3.2–4.5 × 4–6.5 mm, sparsely strigillose; columella 2.5–3.9 mm. |
Seeds | with thin white coat that readily falls off, surface below tan brown, oblong-ovoid, sharply angular in cross section, 1–1.4 × 0.6–0.9 mm, with 3–4(–6) prominent transverse ridges that usually interrupt abaxial keel. |
gray-green to gray-brown, ovoid, 3.8 × 3 mm, shallowly and obscurely pitted; caruncle absent. |
Cyathia | solitary or in small, cymose clusters at distal nodes; peduncle 0.5–1.6 mm. |
in terminal dichasia; peduncle (2–)4–12(–18) mm proximal and mid peduncles and cyathia abscising early, sparsely to moderately strigose to sericeous. |
2n | = 22. |
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Euphorbia glyptosperma |
Euphorbia strictior |
|
Phenology | Flowering and fruiting early summer–fall. | Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. |
Habitat | Stream and river banks, sand prairies, loess hill prairies, meadows, ballast, open disturbed areas, roadsides. | Open grasslands and uplands. |
Elevation | 0–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.) | 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; CT; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; LA; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NH; NM; NV; NY; OK; OR; SD; TN; TX; UT; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)
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NM; TX |
Discussion | Euphorbia glyptosperma is one of the most widespread species of the genus in North America, and it is often quite weedy. It is likely native to much of the central United States, but in areas like eastern Canada, it occurs in highly disturbed habitats, and it may be adventive there. Euphorbia glyptosperma is characterized by its prominently ridged seeds, laciniate stipules, complete lack of pubescence, and somewhat obscure toothing near the tips of the leaves. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Euphorbia strictior is confined to a small area of the Texas Panhandle and adjacent New Mexico. The species is closely related to E. aaron-rossii and E. wrightii; it can be distinguished from E. wrightii by its larger stature, shorter and less petaloid involucral gland appendages, and early abscising proximal and mid cyathia and peduncles. Euphorbia strictior also tends to develop all three seeds in the capsule, whereas E. wrightii tends to develop only two. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 269. | FNA vol. 12, p. 251. |
Parent taxa | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Alectoroctonum |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Chamaesyce glyptosperma | |
Name authority | Engelmann: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 187. (1859) | Holzinger: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 1: 214, plate 18. (1892) |
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