The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

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
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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 Euphorbiaceae > Jatropha Euphorbiaceae > Jatropha
Sibling taxa
J. canescens, J. cardiophylla, J. cuneata, J. curcas, J. dioica, J. gossypiifolia, J. integerrima, J. macrorhiza, J. multifida
J. canescens, J. cardiophylla, J. cathartica, J. curcas, J. dioica, J. gossypiifolia, J. integerrima, J. macrorhiza, J. multifida
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)
Web links