Flora of North America species comparison

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Jatropha dioica var. dioica

Jatropha dioica var. graminea
Photo is of parent taxon

leatherstem
Photo is of parent taxon

leatherstem
Habit Plants to 1 m. Leaves: blade oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, 3.5–5(–7) × 0.3–0.7 cm, usually unlobed, sometimes deeply 3-lobed (in moister sites); secondary veins visible. Plants to 0.5 m. Leaves: blade linear-spatulate, 1.5–2.5 × 0.2–0.4 cm, unlobed; only midvein visible.
Flowers

sepals distinct;

petals pinkish white;

stamen filaments connate 3/4+ length.

sepals connate basally;

petals white;

stamen filaments connate to 1/4 length.

Jatropha dioica var. dioica

Jatropha dioica var. graminea
Phenology Flowering and fruiting late spring–early summer. Flowering and fruiting late spring–early summer.
Habitat Dry sandy or rocky soils. Dry sandy soils.
Elevation 400-–2500 m. (1300-–8200 ft.) 100–900 m. (300–3000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Variety dioica is widespread in eastern Mexico south to Zacatecas. R. McVaugh (1945b) reported the range as south to Oaxaca but most of the specimens annotated by him and others as this taxon are currently recognized as two related but morphologically distinct species (Jatropha elbae J. Jiménez Ramírez, and J. oaxacana J. Jiménez Ramírez & R. Torres). In Texas, it is found mainly south and east of the Pecos River.

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

The distribution of var. graminea lies west of that of var. dioica and does not extend as far south. In Texas, it is restricted to the trans-Pecos region. Some Mexican specimens erroneously annotated as var. graminea are actually Jatropha rzedowskii J. Jiménez Ramírez.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 205. FNA vol. 12, p. 205.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Jatropha > Jatropha dioica Euphorbiaceae > Jatropha > Jatropha dioica
Sibling taxa
J. dioica var. graminea
J. dioica var. dioica
Synonyms J. dioica var. sessiflora
Name authority unknown McVaugh: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 72: 39. (1944)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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