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hairy sandmat, wormseed sandmat, wormseed spurge

thyme leaf spurge, thyme-leafed spurge, thymeleaf sandmat

Habit Herbs, annual or short-lived perennial, with slender, fibrous taproot. Herbs, annual, with slender taproot.
Stems

prostrate to ascending or erect, not mat forming, 10–35 cm, usually sparsely to moderately strigillose, pilose, or villous, rarely glabrate hairs sometimes in longitudinal lines.

prostrate to ascending, often mat-forming, 7–35 cm, glabrous, pilose, or villous.

Leaves

opposite;

stipules distinct or connate, triangular to narrowly triangular or laciniate into subulate to filiform divisions, 0.6–1.3 mm, glabrous or sparsely pilose;

petiole 0.2–0.9 mm, glabrous, villous, or strigillose;

blade ovate, oblong, or elliptic, often falcate, 5–18 × 3–9 mm, base asymmetric, one side rounded and other cordate, margins usually serrulate especially in distal 1/2, rarely nearly entire, apex acute or obtuse, surfaces not papillate, sparsely pilose, villous, or sericeous (especially near base), often glabrate (especially older leaves); 3–5-veined from base.

opposite;

stipules distinct, divided nearly to base into 3–5 subulate to filiform segments, these sometimes 2-fid toward apex or laciniate, 0.7–2.1 mm, glabrous;

petiole 0.5–1 mm, glabrous, villous, or pilose;

blade ovate, oblong, elliptic, or obovate, 3–13 × 2–7 mm, base asymmetric, rounded to oblique, margins usually entire in proximal 1/2 and serrulate in distal 1/2, rarely serrulate nearly to base, apex obtuse or truncate, surfaces often with red spot in center, not papillate, glabrous, villous, or pilose; weakly 3-veined from base, usually only midvein conspicuous.

Involucre

obconic, 0.7–1.1 × 0.5–0.8 mm, glabrous;

glands (2–3)–4, red to reddish green, circular to oblong, 0.1 × 0.1–0.2 mm;

appendages absent or white, turning pink with age, flabellate, oblong, circular, or forming narrow lunate border around margin of gland, 0.1–0.3 × 0.2–0.4 mm, distal margin entire or slightly lobed.

obconic, 0.6–1.1 × 0.6–1 mm, glabrous, villous, or pilose;

glands 4, yellow to pink, usually oblong to reniform, 0.1 × 0.2–0.3 mm;

appendages white to pink, oblong or flabellate, rarely absent, (0–)0.1–0.2 × (0–)0.3–0.4 mm, distal margin entire or shallowly lobed.

Staminate flowers

5–15.

5–20.

Pistillate flowers

ovary glabrous;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.

ovary glabrous, villous, or pilose;

styles 0.3–0.4 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length.

Capsules

oblate to subglobose, cocci not elongated nor terminating in empty portion, 1.4–1.8 × 1.7–2.1 mm, glabrous;

columella 1.1–1.5 mm.

broadly ovoid to oblate, cocci not elongated nor terminating in empty portion, 1.4–1.9 × 1.5–2, glabrous, pilose, or villous;

columella 1.2–1.6 mm.

Seeds

brown, gray, or almost black, ovoid to oblong, 3–4-angled in cross section, 1.1–1.4 × 0.7–0.8 mm, rugulose and sometimes also with low transverse ridges that do not interrupt abaxial keel.

pink, light brown, or grayish, ovoid to narrowly ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 1–1.4 × 0.6–0.9 mm, smooth to dimpled or rugose, or with faint transverse ridges that do not interrupt abaxial keel.

Cyathia

solitary at distal nodes or in small, cymose clusters at branch tips;

peduncle 0.2–2.5 mm.

solitary or in small, cymose clusters at distal nodes or on congested, axillary branches;

peduncle 0.4–1.7 mm.

Euphorbia vermiculata

Euphorbia serpillifolia

Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring–fall.
Habitat Juniper-oak woodlands, temperate deciduous forests, grasslands, pine forests, oak forests with sycamores, walnuts and alders, often in disturbed areas.
Elevation 0–2600 m. (0–8500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CT; IL; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; PA; RI; VA; VT; WI; WV; NB; NS; ON; QC; Mexico; temperate deciduous forests; often in disturbed areas; walnuts and alders; oak forests with sycamores; pine forests; grasslands; Juniper-oak woodlands
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NH; NM; NV; NY; OK; OR; PA; SD; TX; UT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; ON; QC; SK; Mexico; South America
Discussion

Euphorbia vermiculata has an interesting disjunct distribution; it ranges from central Mexico to Arizona and New Mexico, and is also present in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada.

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

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

Euphorbia serpillifolia is variable, especially in regard to seed sculpturing. L. C. Wheeler (1941) documented and discussed this variation, suggesting that within the United States and Canada the taxon could be further divided into various taxa. However, Wheeler refrained from actually proposing names and commented that further study was needed. The authors concur with Wheeler and maintain a broad delimitation of the species, pending a detailed study of variation throughout its range. Otherwise indistinguishable hairy plants are treated as subsp. hirtula. In contrast to the widespread typical subspecies, subsp. hirtula ranges from northern Baja California, Mexico, to central California. In this region the two subspecies sometimes grow together.

The spelling of the specific epithet follows the original publication of the name and contrasts with the often-used variant serpyllifolia.

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

Key
1. Stems and leaves glabrous.
subsp. serpillifolia
1. Stems and leaves pilose or villous.
subsp. hirtula
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 292. FNA vol. 12, p. 287.
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. 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
E. serpillifolia subsp. hirtula, E. serpillifolia subsp. serpillifolia
Synonyms Chamaesyce rothrockii, C. vermiculata, E. rothrockii Chamaesyce serpillifolia
Name authority Rafinesque: Amer. Monthly Mag. & Crit. Rev. 2: 206. (1818) Persoon: Syn. Pl. 2: 14. (1806)
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