Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia serrula |
|
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dune spurge, Parry's sandmat, Parry's spurge |
sawtooth sandmat |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual, with taproot. | Herbs, annual, with slender taproot. |
Stems | usually prostrate, rarely ascending-erect, 5–70(–85) cm, glabrous. |
prostrate or ascending, 5–20 cm, usually pilose to villous, rarely 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, rarely connate at base, triangular or laciniate into subulate segments, 1–1.8 mm, glabrous; petiole 0.3–0.8 mm, glabrous or villous; blade oblong, ovate, or elliptic, sometimes falcate, 3–11 × 2–5 mm, base asymmetric, rounded to hemicordate, margins sharply serrate to serrulate, usually with conspicuous teeth at base of leaf, apex usually obtuse, rarely acute, surfaces frequently with red blotch in center, not papillate, sparsely pilose to glabrate; 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. |
obconic, 0.8–1.1 × 0.8–1 mm, glabrous; glands 4, greenish yellow, usually reniform to elliptic, rarely circular, 0.1 × 0.1–0.2 mm; appendages usually white, rarely light pink, orbiculate, 0.1–0.3 × 0.2–0.4 mm, distal margin entire or crenulate. |
Staminate flowers | 40–55. |
7–15. |
Pistillate flowers | ovary glabrous; styles 0.5–0.7 mm, 2-fid nearly entire length. |
ovary glabrous; styles 0.3–0.5 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length. |
Capsules | ovoid-globose, 2–2.3 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous; columella 1.4–2 mm. |
oblate, cocci not elongated nor terminating in empty portion, 2–2.6 × 3.2–3.7 mm, glabrous; columella 1.7–2.1 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. |
white to light brown, broadly ellipsoid to ovoid, 3–4-angled in cross section, 1.5–1.8 × 1.1–1.3(–1.5) mm, smooth to minutely rugulose or with scattered small depressions. |
Cyathia | solitary or in small clusters on short axillary branches at distal nodes; peduncle 1–5 mm. |
solitary at distal nodes; peduncle 0.4–1.8(–2.3) mm. |
Euphorbia parryi |
Euphorbia serrula |
|
Phenology | Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. | Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. |
Habitat | Sand dunes, other sandy habitats. | Desert scrub, with creosote bush, grasslands with mesquite and yucca, rarely in ponderosa pine woodlands, often sandy substrates. |
Elevation | 200–2200 m. (700–7200 ft.) | 300–1900 m. (1000–6200 ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Chihuahua)
|
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
|
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.) |
In Mexico, Euphorbia serrula is found from Chihuahua and Coahuila south to Puebla. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 281. | FNA vol. 12, p. 288. |
Parent taxa | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum | Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Chamaesyce longeramosa, C. parryi, E. longeramosa | Chamaesyce serrula |
Name authority | Engelmann: Amer. Naturalist 9: 350. (1875) | Engelmann: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 188. (1859) |
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