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short-spike noseburn

branch noseburn, branch or desert or common noseburn, desert noseburn, desert tragia

Habit Herbs or vines, 2–12 dm. Subshrubs, 1.2–5 dm.
Stems

decumbent, twining, or erect, light green, apex usually flexuous.

erect to trailing, dark green to light green, apex rarely flexuous.

Leaves

petiole 6–38 mm;

blade triangular to cordate, 1.9–6 × 1.5–3.5 cm, base truncate to cordate, margins serrate to crenate, apex acute.

petiole 2–20 mm;

blade linear-lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 1–4 × 0.5–2 cm, base truncate to weakly cordate, margins serrate, apex acute.

Inflorescences

terminal (often appearing leaf-opposed), glands absent, staminate flowers 2–8[–10] per raceme;

staminate bracts 1–1.8 mm.

terminal (often appearing leaf opposed), glands few, sessile, staminate flowers 2–20 per raceme;

staminate bracts 1.5–2 mm.

Pedicels

staminate 0.7–2 mm, persistent base 0.4–1.5 mm;

pistillate 2–4 mm in fruit.

staminate 0.7–2 mm, persistent base 0.4–1.5 mm;

pistillate 2–2.5 mm in fruit.

Staminate flowers

sepals 3–4[–5], green, 1–1.5 mm;

stamens 3–4(–5), filaments 0.3–0.6 mm.

sepals 3–4, green, 1–2.2 mm;

stamens 3–6(–10), filaments 0.3–1 mm.

Pistillate flowers

sepals ovate, 1.3–3.5 mm;

styles connate 1/3 length;

stigmas subpapillate to undulate.

sepals lanceolate, 0.8–2.5 mm;

styles connate 1/3–1/2 length, long-exserted;

stigmas smooth to undulate.

Capsules

6.5–7 mm wide, often 1 carpel maturing.

6–8 mm wide.

Seeds

dark brown, 2.5–3.8 mm.

dark brown, 2.5–3.5 mm.

2n

= 44.

= 44.

Tragia brevispica

Tragia ramosa

Phenology Flowering spring–fall; fruiting late summer–fall. Flowering spring–fall; fruiting late spring–fall.
Habitat Open forests, scrublands, disturbed roadsides, open fields, often on loam and clay soils. Mesquite, desert scrub, pine-juniper, oak woodlands.
Elevation 10–500 m. (0–1600 ft.) 200–2800 m. (700–9200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
LA; OK; TX; Mexico (Nuevo León)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; AZ; CA; CO; KS; MO; NE; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Sonora, Tamaulipas)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The leaves of Tragia brevispica are highly variable and frequently resemble those of T. ramosa, which differs in having smooth stigmas and leaf blades much longer than wide. The presence of 1-carpellate fruit in T. brevispica is unique in Tragia in the flora area.

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

Tragia ramosa is a variable species showing much environmental plasticity. Collections from the western United States and western Mexico have much broader leaves than those from Texas and Nuevo León, and were previously referred to as T. stylaris. Smooth stigmatic surfaces, three to six (rarely to ten) stamens, and narrow apical leaves are characters consistent with T. ramosa.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 186. FNA vol. 12, p. 189.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Tragia Euphorbiaceae > Tragia
Sibling taxa
T. amblyodonta, T. betonicifolia, T. cordata, T. glanduligera, T. jonesii, T. laciniata, T. leptophylla, T. nepetifolia, T. nigricans, T. ramosa, T. saxicola, T. smallii, T. urens, T. urticifolia
T. amblyodonta, T. betonicifolia, T. brevispica, T. cordata, T. glanduligera, T. jonesii, T. laciniata, T. leptophylla, T. nepetifolia, T. nigricans, T. saxicola, T. smallii, T. urens, T. urticifolia
Synonyms T. nepetifolia var. scutellariifolia, T. nepetifolia var. teucriifolia, T. scutellariifolia, T. teucriifolia T. angustifolia, T. nepetifolia var. angustifolia, T. nepetifolia var. ramosa, T. ramosa var. latifolia, T. stylaris, T. stylaris var. angustifolia, T. stylaris var. latifolia
Name authority Engelmann & A. Gray: Boston J. Nat. Hist. 5: 262. (1845) Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 245. (1827)
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