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dune spurge, Parry's sandmat, Parry's spurge

San Pedro River 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, 10–55 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, narrowly triangular and often divided into 3–5 subulate to filiform segments, 0.8–1.9 mm, glabrous;

petiole 1.2–3.1 mm, glabrous;

blade oblong, elliptic, or ovate, 12–43 × 3–14 mm, base subsymmetric to asymmetric, rounded, attenuate, or with one side hemicordate and other side rounded, margins usually serrulate, rarely entire on some leaves or portion of blade, apex obtuse to acute, surfaces often with red blotch in center, glabrous; pinnately veined, often 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.

oblong, campanulate, or funnel-shaped, 1.5–2.6 × 1.1–2.3 mm, glabrous;

glands 4, green to yellowish or tinged with red, subcircular to oblong, 0.4–0.7 × 0.5–1 mm;

appendages absent or white, often forming narrow rim or oblong to ovate, 0–0.8 × 1.2 mm, distal margin entire.

Staminate flowers

40–55.

50–60.

Pistillate flowers

ovary glabrous;

styles 0.5–0.7 mm, 2-fid nearly entire length.

ovary glabrous;

styles 0.5–0.6 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.

Capsules

ovoid-globose, 2–2.3 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous;

columella 1.4–2 mm.

oblate, 2.4–3.2 × 3–3.5 mm, glabrous;

columella 2.3–2.5 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.

light brown, ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, abaxial keel well developed, 1.9–2.3 × 1.3–1.4 mm, finely dimpled and papillate.

Cyathia

solitary or in small clusters on short axillary branches at distal nodes;

peduncle 1–5 mm.

solitary at distal nodes;

peduncle 1.4–2.4 mm.

Euphorbia parryi

Euphorbia trachysperma

Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. Flowering and fruiting late summer–early winter.
Habitat Sand dunes, other sandy habitats. Desert scrub, desert grasslands, mesquite woodlands.
Elevation 200–2200 m. (700–7200 ft.) 200–1200 m. (700–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California Sur, Sonora)
[BONAP county map]
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 trachysperma may be expected in extreme southwestern New Mexico given the close proximity of some collections in southeastern Arizona.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 281. FNA vol. 12, p. 291.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > sect. Anisophyllum
Sibling taxa
E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, E. bifurcata, E. bilobata, E. blodgettii, E. bombensis, E. brachycera, E. capitellata, E. carunculata, E. chaetocalyx, E. chamaesula, E. cinerascens, E. commutata, E. conferta, E. cordifolia, E. corollata, E. crenulata, E. cumulicola, E. cuphosperma, E. curtisii, E. cyathophora, E. cyparissias, E. davidii, E. deltoidea, E. dendroides, E. dentata, E. discoidalis, E. eriantha, E. exigua, E. exserta, E. exstipulata, E. falcata, E. fendleri, E. florida, E. floridana, E. garberi, E. georgiana, E. geyeri, E. glyptosperma, E. golondrina, E. gracillima, E. graminea, E. helioscopia, E. helleri, E. heterophylla, E. hexagona, E. hirta, E. hooveri, E. humistrata, E. hypericifolia, E. hyssopifolia, E. indivisa, E. innocua, E. inundata, E. ipecacuanhae, E. jaegeri, E. jejuna, E. laredana, E. lasiocarpa, E. lata, E. lathyris, E. longicruris, E. lurida, E. macropus, E. maculata, E. marginata, E. meganaesos, E. melanadenia, E. mendezii, E. mercurialina, E. mesembrianthemifolia, E. micromera, E. misera, E. missurica, E. myrsinites, E. nephradenia, E. nutans, E. oblongata, E. ocellata, E. ophthalmica, E. ouachitana, E. parishii, E. pediculifera, E. peplidion, E. peplus, E. perennans, E. pergamena, E. pinetorum, E. platyphyllos, E. platysperma, E. polycarpa, E. polygonifolia, E. polyphylla, E. porteriana, E. prostrata, E. pubentissima, E. purpurea, E. radians, E. rayturneri, E. revoluta, E. roemeriana, E. rosescens, E. schizoloba, E. serpens, E. serpillifolia, E. serrata, E. serrula, E. setiloba, E. simulans, E. spathulata, E. stictospora, E. strictior, E. telephioides, E. terracina, E. tetrapora, E. texana, E. theriaca, E. thymifolia, E. tithymaloides, E. trachysperma, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
E. aaron-rossii, E. abramsiana, E. acuta, E. agraria, E. albomarginata, E. alta, E. angusta, E. antisyphilitica, E. arizonica, E. astyla, E. austrotexana, E. bicolor, E. bifurcata, E. bilobata, E. blodgettii, E. bombensis, E. brachycera, E. capitellata, E. carunculata, E. chaetocalyx, E. chamaesula, E. cinerascens, E. commutata, E. conferta, E. cordifolia, E. corollata, E. crenulata, E. cumulicola, E. cuphosperma, E. curtisii, E. cyathophora, E. cyparissias, E. davidii, E. deltoidea, E. dendroides, E. dentata, E. discoidalis, E. eriantha, E. exigua, E. exserta, E. exstipulata, E. falcata, E. fendleri, E. florida, E. floridana, E. garberi, E. georgiana, E. geyeri, E. glyptosperma, E. golondrina, E. gracillima, E. graminea, E. helioscopia, E. helleri, E. heterophylla, E. hexagona, E. hirta, E. hooveri, E. humistrata, E. hypericifolia, E. hyssopifolia, E. indivisa, E. innocua, E. inundata, E. ipecacuanhae, E. jaegeri, E. jejuna, E. laredana, E. lasiocarpa, E. lata, E. lathyris, E. longicruris, E. lurida, E. macropus, E. maculata, E. marginata, E. meganaesos, E. melanadenia, E. mendezii, E. mercurialina, E. mesembrianthemifolia, E. micromera, E. misera, E. missurica, E. myrsinites, E. nephradenia, E. nutans, E. oblongata, E. ocellata, E. ophthalmica, E. ouachitana, E. parishii, E. parryi, E. pediculifera, E. peplidion, E. peplus, E. perennans, E. pergamena, E. pinetorum, E. platyphyllos, E. platysperma, E. polycarpa, E. polygonifolia, E. polyphylla, E. porteriana, E. prostrata, E. pubentissima, E. purpurea, E. radians, E. rayturneri, E. revoluta, E. roemeriana, E. rosescens, E. schizoloba, E. serpens, E. serpillifolia, E. serrata, E. serrula, E. setiloba, E. simulans, E. spathulata, E. stictospora, E. strictior, E. telephioides, E. terracina, E. tetrapora, E. texana, E. theriaca, E. thymifolia, E. tithymaloides, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
Synonyms Chamaesyce longeramosa, C. parryi, E. longeramosa Chamaesyce trachysperma
Name authority Engelmann: Amer. Naturalist 9: 350. (1875) Engelmann: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 189. (1859)
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