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creeping spurge, Matted sandmat, Matted spurge, round-leafed spurge

ashy sandmat

Habit Herbs, annual, with slender taproot. Herbs, perennial, with moderately to strongly thickened rootstock.
Stems

prostrate, frequently mat-forming and rooting at nodes, 15–50 cm, glabrous.

prostrate to decumbent, mat-forming, 5–30 cm, appressed wooly, strigillose, or short-sericeous.

Leaves

opposite;

stipules connate into conspicuous, deltate scale, white to pink, membranaceous, 0.5–1(–1.2) mm, glabrous;

petiole less than 1 mm, glabrous;

blade ovate, oblong or orbiculate, 2–7(–9) × 2–6 mm, base asymmetric, rounded to subcordate, margins entire, apex rounded, surfaces without red blotch, glabrous; usually only midvein conspicuous.

opposite;

stipules distinct, subulate, 0.2–0.5 mm, appressed wooly to sericeous;

petiole 0.3–0.8 mm, appressed wooly to sericeous;

blade ovate to elliptic, 1.5–5.5 × 1.3–4 mm, base asymmetric, obtuse to hemicordate, margins entire often reddish, apex usually obtuse, occasionally acute (young leaves), surfaces sericeous to strigillose or slightly pilose, adaxial surface often glabrous; 3-veined from base but only midvein conspicuous.

Involucre

campanulate to turbinate, 0.3–0.7(–1) × 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous;

glands 4, yellow, oblong, 0.1 × 0.2 mm;

appendages white to pinkish, equal, forming narrow rim at edge of gland, 0.1–0.2 × 0.2–0.3 mm, distal margin entire or crenulate.

turbinate, 0.8–1.3 × 1.2–2 mm, appressed wooly, sericeous, or strigillose;

glands 4, purple-black, elliptic to oblong, 0.2–0.3 × 0.4–0.6 mm;

appendages absent or reddish pink, forming narrow rim around distal margin of gland, 0–0.1 × 0–0.6 mm, distal margin entire, crenulate, or erose.

Staminate flowers

5–10.

15–20.

Pistillate flowers

ovary glabrous;

styles 0.2 mm, 2-fid 1/2 to nearly entire length.

ovary canescent;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm, 2-fid at apex.

Capsules

broadly ovoid, oblate, or subglobose, 1.3–1.4 × 1.3–1.7 mm, glabrous;

columella (0.9–)1–1.2 mm.

subglobose to broadly ovoid, 1.3–1.7 × 1.5–1.8 mm, canescent;

columella 1–1.3 mm.

Seeds

white to gray or light pink, ovoid, bluntly 3–4-angled in cross section, 0.7–1.1 × 0.4–0.7 mm, smooth.

white to pinkish or light brown, ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 1–1.4 × 0.6–0.8 mm, smooth to rugulose or rarely with 1–2 inconspicuous transverse ridges.

Cyathia

solitary at distal nodes;

peduncle 0.5–1(–2.5) mm.

solitary at distal nodes;

peduncle 0.2–0.3 mm.

2n

= 32.

Euphorbia serpens

Euphorbia cinerascens

Phenology Flowering and fruiting year-round (in warmer areas) or summer (in temperate regions). Flowering and fruiting year-round (mostly spring–fall).
Habitat Mostly sandy or well-drained soils, desert scrub, coastal scrub, chaparral, oak and juniper woodlands, sand dunes, riparian forests, mesquite grasslands, prairies, coniferous and deciduous hardwood forests, disturbed areas. Desert scrub, oak and juniper woodlands, thorn scrub, shrublands, grasslands, frequently on limestone substrates.
Elevation 0–2000 m. (0–6600 ft.) 70–1400 m. (200–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MI; MO; MS; MT; ND; NE; NJ; NM; OH; OK; PA; SD; TN; TX; UT; VT; WY; ON; SK; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies; Bermuda [Introduced in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; Mexico
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Euphorbia serpens is one of the most widespread species of the genus in the New World. While it may be indigenous to a portion of the flora area, probably in the warmer, southern part of its range, it is weedy and has likely been introduced in many parts of the flora area, such as Canada and the eastern United States. It is also widely distributed in the Old World, where it is certainly introduced. The strictly prostrate habit with stems rooting at the nodes is characteristic. Euphorbia serpens is often confused with E. albomarginata, a species distributed in the southwestern United States; in addition to the features mentioned in the key, an easy and reliable way to distinguish between them is by the size of the involucral gland appendages: those of E. albomarginata are conspicuous to the naked eye, whereas those of E. serpens are inconspicuous.

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

In the flora area, Euphorbia cinerascens is found only in southern and western Texas. In Mexico, it is found from Chihuahua east to Tamaulipas, south to Guanajuato.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 286. FNA vol. 12, p. 264.
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. 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. 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. 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. trachysperma, E. trichotoma, E. vallis-mortae, E. velleriflora, E. vermiculata, E. villifera, E. virgata, E. wrightii, E. yaquiana
Synonyms Chamaesyce serpens Chamaesyce cinerascens
Name authority Kunth: in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 2(fol.): 41; 2(qto.): 52. (1817) Engelmann: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 186. (1859)
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