Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia agraria |
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dune spurge, Parry's sandmat, Parry's spurge |
urban spurge |
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Habit | Herbs, annual, with taproot. | Herbs, perennial, with slender, spreading rootstock. |
Stems | usually prostrate, rarely ascending-erect, 5–70(–85) cm, glabrous. |
erect or ascending, unbranched or branched, 30–90 cm, glabrous. |
Leaves | opposite; stipules distinct, linear-subulate, usually lacerate and divided into 2 or more slender segments, rarely entire, 0.6–1.4 mm, glabrous; petiole 1–2.5 mm, glabrous; blade linear to narrowly oblong, (5–)10–25(–30) × 2–5 mm, base usually symmetric, sometimes slightly asymmetric, attenuate, margins entire, occasionally ± revolute, apex acute to obtuse, mucronulate, surfaces glabrous; only midvein conspicuous. |
petiole absent; blade oblong-elliptic, 20–65 × 9–20 mm, base truncate to auriculate, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces glabrous; venation conspicuously pinnate, midvein prominent. |
Involucre | broadly cupuliform-campanulate, 1.2–1.7 × 1.4–1.8 mm, glabrous; glands 4, reddish pink to greenish yellow, deeply concave, elliptic to oblong, 0.2–0.3 × 0.3–0.5 mm; appendages white, elliptic to oblong, usually forming narrow margin around gland, sometimes rudimentary, 0.2–0.6 × 0.3–0.7(–1.1) mm, distal margin entire. |
campanulate, 2.2–3 × 1.8–2 mm, glabrous; glands 4, crescent-shaped; 0.6–1 × 1–2 mm; horns slightly divergent to convergent, 0.1–0.2 mm. |
Staminate flowers | 40–55. |
15–20. |
Pistillate flowers | ovary glabrous; styles 0.5–0.7 mm, 2-fid nearly entire length. |
ovary glabrous; styles 1.2–2 mm, 2-fid. |
Capsules | ovoid-globose, 2–2.3 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous; columella 1.4–2 mm. |
globose, 2–2.8 × 2.2–2.7 mm, 3-lobed; cocci rounded, smooth except finely granulate toward abaxial line, glabrous; columella 2.1–2.7 mm. |
Seeds | mottled brown and white because of irregularly loose and tight outer covering, broadly ovoid, rounded-angular in cross section, 1.4–1.8 × 0.8–1 mm, smooth or only inconspicuously roughened. |
gray or whitish, ovoid-oblong, 2–2.1 × 1.2–1.3 mm, smooth; caruncle ± rounded and flattened, 0.8 × 0.6 mm. |
Cyathia | solitary or in small clusters on short axillary branches at distal nodes; peduncle 1–5 mm. |
peduncle 0–2 mm. |
Cyathial | arrangement: terminal pleiochasial branches 8–15, 1–2 times 2-branched; pleiochasial bracts similar in shape but shorter and narrower than distal leaves; dichasial bracts distinct, rhombic to reniform, base obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse, mucronate; axillary cymose branches 12–23. |
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Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia agraria |
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Phenology | Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. | Flowering and fruiting spring–summer. |
Habitat | Sand dunes, other sandy habitats. | Grasslands, roadside banks, pastures. |
Elevation | 200–2200 m. (700–7200 ft.) | 200–1600 m. (700–5200 ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Chihuahua)
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KS; MT; NE; NY; PA; WA; WY; AB; SK; Europe [Introduced in North America]
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Discussion | Euphorbia parryi is similar to E. missurica, differing only by the generally narrow involucral gland appendages and prostrate habit in E. parryi as opposed to the conspicuous involucral gland appendages and ascending-erect habit in E. missurica. Euphorbia parryi has sometimes been considered the western race of E. missurica (D. S. Correll and M. C. Johnston 1970). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 281. | FNA vol. 12, p. 298. |
Parent taxa | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > subg. Esula |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Chamaesyce longeramosa, C. parryi, E. longeramosa | Tithymalus agrarius |
Name authority | Engelmann: Amer. Naturalist 9: 350. (1875) | M. Bieberstein: Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 1: 375. (1808) |
Web links |