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leatherplant, limberbush, physicnut, sangre de drago

Habit Shrubs, to 2 m, dioecious.
Stems

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

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

on short shoots, cymes or flowers solitary;

peduncle 0.4–0.6 cm;

bracts 0.4–1 mm, margins entire, glabrous.

Pedicels

1–4(–6.5) mm.

Staminate flowers

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, 1.5–3 × 0.5–1 mm;

petals 4–4.5 × 1–1.5 mm;

carpel 1;

styles 0.5–1 mm.

Capsules

spheric, 0.9–1.1 × 0.9–1.1 cm, tardily dehiscent.

Seeds

solid dark to golden brown, spheric, 10 × 10 mm;

caruncle absent.

2n

= 44 (Mexico).

Jatropha cuneata

Phenology Flowering and fruiting late spring–summer.
Habitat Dry rocky limestone mesas, sandy areas, bajadas.
Elevation 0–800 m. (0–2600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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. 203.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Jatropha
Sibling taxa
J. canescens, J. cardiophylla, J. cathartica, J. curcas, J. dioica, J. gossypiifolia, J. integerrima, J. macrorhiza, J. multifida
Name authority Wiggins & Rollins: Contr. Dudley Herb. 3: 272, plate 62, fig. 1. (1943)
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