Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia mendezii |
|
---|---|---|
dune spurge, Parry's sandmat, Parry's spurge |
Mendez's sandmat |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual, with taproot. | Herbs, annual or perennial, with slender taproot. |
Stems | usually prostrate, rarely ascending-erect, 5–70(–85) cm, glabrous. |
prostrate, often mat-forming, 8–35 cm, usually villous along margins, lower surface glabrous, upper surface usually strigillose to puberulent, rarely glabrous or glabrate. |
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 usually distinct or connate basally, rarely completely connate, deltate, laciniate, glabrous or pilose (lower side), forming narrow deltate scale, sometimes apically 2-fid or laciniate, glabrous (upper side), 0.4–1.9 mm; petiole 0.3–1.2 mm, glabrous, pilose or villous; blade oblong to obovate, 4–12 × 2–7 mm, base asymmetric, one side attenuate, cuneate or rounded, other rounded or cordate, margins serrulate at least distally, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely sericeous, pilose or villous; 3-veined at base. |
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 or obconic, 0.8–1 × 0.7–0.8 mm, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pilose toward apex; glands 4, pink, reniform, oblong or elliptic, 0.1 × 0.2–0.3 mm; appendages absent or white to pink, oblong, flabellate or forming narrow rim around edge of gland, 0.1–0.3 × 0.3–0.6 mm, distal margin usually entire, sometimes lobed. |
Staminate flowers | 40–55. |
6–15. |
Pistillate flowers | ovary glabrous; styles 0.5–0.7 mm, 2-fid nearly entire length. |
ovary usually pilose or villous with hairs concentrated along keels, rarely glabrous; styles 0.2–0.3 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length. |
Capsules | ovoid-globose, 2–2.3 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous; columella 1.4–2 mm. |
ovoid, 1.2–1.6 × 1.2–1.4 mm, usually pilose or villous with hairs concentrated along keels, often glabrous in between, very rarely completely glabrous; columella 1–1.4 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. |
reddish brown to orange or gray-pink, narrowly ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 0.9–1.2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, almost smooth or with 5–7 faint transverse ridges that do not pass through abaxial keel. |
Cyathia | solitary or in small clusters on short axillary branches at distal nodes; peduncle 1–5 mm. |
solitary at nodes or on short, congested axillary branches; peduncle 0.9–2.5 mm. |
Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia mendezii |
|
Phenology | Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. | Flowering and fruiting year-round. |
Habitat | Sand dunes, other sandy habitats. | Disturbed areas. |
Elevation | 200–2200 m. (700–7200 ft.) | 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Chihuahua)
|
FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America [Introduced in North America] |
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 mendezii is a common weed distributed widely throughout Mexico and Central America. Within the flora area the species is known only from southern Florida. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 281. | FNA vol. 12, p. 277. |
Parent taxa | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Chamaesyce longeramosa, C. parryi, E. longeramosa | Chamaesyce mendezii |
Name authority | Engelmann: Amer. Naturalist 9: 350. (1875) | Boissier: Cent. Euphorb., 15. (1860) |
Web links |