Jatropha cathartica |
Jatropha cuneata |
|
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Berlandier's nettlespurge |
leatherplant, limberbush, physicnut, sangre de drago |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, to 0.3 m, monoecious, with woody subterranean caudex to 13.5 cm diam., stem and root scars crescent-shaped. | Shrubs, to 2 m, dioecious. |
Stems | erect, green, sparsely branched, herbaceous, somewhat succulent, glabrous; short shoots absent; latex watery, cloudy-whitish. |
spreading, yellow to yellow-brown [gray], much-branched, woody-succulent, glabrous; short shoots common; latex watery, yellow in young shoots, red in older shoots. |
Leaves | ± evenly distributed on long shoots; stipules persistent, 2–3 mm, deeply divided into linear-lanceolate segments; petiole 6–10 cm, not stipitate-glandular; blade cordate in outline, 6–11 × 3.5–6 cm, deeply 5–7-lobed nearly to base, segments deeply lobed, base cordate, margins coarsely dentate, apex acuminate, membranous, surfaces glabrous; venation palmate. |
deciduous, usually fascicled on short shoots; stipules absent; petiole 0(–0.2) cm, not stipitate-glandular; blade obovate-spatulate, 0.7–1.9 × 0.3–0.9 cm, unlobed (shallowly 3-lobed on active shoots), base attenuate, margins entire, apex usually rounded, sometimes emarginate, coriaceous, surfaces glabrous; venation pinnate (palmate if lobed). |
Inflorescences | bisexual, terminal and subterminal, cymes; peduncle 7.5–11 cm; bracts 3–10 mm, margins entire, glabrous. |
on short shoots, cymes or flowers solitary; peduncle 0.4–0.6 cm; bracts 0.4–1 mm, margins entire, glabrous. |
Pedicels | 9–13 mm. |
1–4(–6.5) mm. |
Staminate flowers | sepals connate 1/2 length, ovate, 2–2.5 × 1–1.2 mm, margins usually entire, rarely 1–2-lobed, apex acute, surfaces glabrous; corolla deep red, rotate-campanulate, petals distinct, 7–10 × 2–3 mm, surfaces glabrous; stamens 8 in 2 whorls (5 + 3); filaments of each whorl appearing connate 1/2 length at anthesis, distinct at maturity, both whorls 2.5–3 mm. |
sepals connate basally, ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–4 × 0.6–1 mm, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces glabrous; corolla white, tubular-urceolate, petals connate most of length, 4–6 × 1.3–2 mm, surfaces glabrous; stamens 10 in 2 whorls (5 + 5); filaments of both whorls connate almost to top, outer whorl 1–2.5 mm, inner series 2.5–4 mm. |
Pistillate flowers | resembling staminate, but sepals distinct, lanceolate, 2.5–3.5 × 0.8–1 mm; corolla rotate, petals 7–9 × 2.5–2.8 mm; carpels 3; styles connate to 3/4 length, 0.5–1.5 mm. |
resembling staminate, but sepals distinct, 1.5–3 × 0.5–1 mm; petals 4–4.5 × 1–1.5 mm; carpel 1; styles 0.5–1 mm. |
Capsules | spheric, 1–1.5 × 1–1.5 cm, explosively dehiscent. |
spheric, 0.9–1.1 × 0.9–1.1 cm, tardily dehiscent. |
Seeds | brown with darker markings, ellipsoidal, 9–13 × 5–7 mm; caruncle prominent. |
solid dark to golden brown, spheric, 10 × 10 mm; caruncle absent. |
2n | = 22. |
= 44 (Mexico). |
Jatropha cathartica |
Jatropha cuneata |
|
Phenology | Flowering and fruiting spring–summer. | Flowering and fruiting late spring–summer. |
Habitat | Grassy clay-rocky and saline flats. | Dry rocky limestone mesas, sandy areas, bajadas. |
Elevation | 1000–2500 m. (3300–8200 ft.) | 0–800 m. (0–2600 ft.) |
Distribution |
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas) |
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora)
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Discussion | Jatropha cathartica is attractive and is threatened by extensive collecting by growers and collectors of succulent plants. In the flora area, the species is known from south Texas. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
In Arizona, Jatropha cuneata is found only in Pima County, primarily in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. Its stems have been used in basket making. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 200. | FNA vol. 12, p. 203. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | J. berlandieri | |
Name authority | Terán & Berlandier: in J. L. Berlandier, Mem. Comis. Limites, 9. (1832) | Wiggins & Rollins: Contr. Dudley Herb. 3: 272, plate 62, fig. 1. (1943) |
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