Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia gracillima |
|
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dune spurge, Parry's sandmat, Parry's spurge |
Mexican sandmat |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual, with taproot. | Herbs, annual, with slender taproot. |
Stems | usually prostrate, rarely ascending-erect, 5–70(–85) cm, glabrous. |
erect to ascending, 5–25 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. |
opposite; stipules distinct, subulate-filiform, entire, 0.3–0.5 mm, glabrous; petiole 0.4–0.9 mm, glabrous; blade narrowly oblong to linear, often slightly falcate, 2–15 × 0.3–0.8 mm, base symmetric to subsymmetric, rounded to attenuate, margins entire, thickened and often revolute, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous; only midvein conspicuous. |
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. |
turbinate, 0.4–0.5 × 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous; glands 4, yellow to pink, oblong to slightly reniform, (0–)0.1–1 × 0.1–0.2 mm; appendages white to pink, ovate to oblong, 0.2–0.4 × 0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin usually entire, rarely emarginate. |
Staminate flowers | 40–55. |
5–12. |
Pistillate flowers | ovary glabrous; styles 0.5–0.7 mm, 2-fid nearly entire length. |
ovary glabrous; styles 0.1–0.2 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length. |
Capsules | ovoid-globose, 2–2.3 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous; columella 1.4–2 mm. |
broadly ovoid, 1.1–1.4 mm diam., glabrous; columella 0.8–1.1 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. |
orange to tan or reddish brown, narrowly ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 0.9–1.1 × 0.5–0.6 mm, smooth. |
Cyathia | solitary or in small clusters on short axillary branches at distal nodes; peduncle 1–5 mm. |
solitary at distal nodes; peduncle 0.1–0.9 mm. |
Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia gracillima |
|
Phenology | Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. | Flowering and fruiting late summer–fall. |
Habitat | Sand dunes, other sandy habitats. | Rocky slopes and dry washes in desert scrub. |
Elevation | 200–2200 m. (700–7200 ft.) | 600–900 m. (2000–3000 ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Chihuahua)
|
AZ; Mexico (Chihuahua, Jalisco, Sinaloa, Sonora) |
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.) |
Euphorbia gracillima occurs from south-central Arizona (Pima and Pinal counties) south through northwestern Mexico. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 281. | FNA vol. 12, p. 270. |
Parent taxa | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Chamaesyce longeramosa, C. parryi, E. longeramosa | Chamaesyce gracillima |
Name authority | Engelmann: Amer. Naturalist 9: 350. (1875) | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 21: 438. (1886) |
Web links |