Tragia leptophylla
Tragia nigricans
fine-leaf noseburn
dark noseburn
erect, brownish red to maroon-green, apex never flexuous.
erect, purple-green to reddish black, apex never flexuous.
petiole 0.5–2 mm;
blade acicular to narrowly oblong, 1–6 × 0.2–0.6 cm, base acute to subcuneate, margins usually entire, sometimes serrulate, apex acute to obtuse.
petiole 1–5 mm;
blade oblong to oblanceolate, 3–7 × 1–2.8 cm, base acute to obtuse, margins coarsely serrate, teeth apices often somewhat recurved, apex acute.
terminal (appearing leaf opposed) or axillary, glands absent, staminate flowers 2–3(–5) per raceme;
staminate bracts 2–2.5 mm.
terminal (appearing leaf opposed), glands absent, staminate flowers 2–5 per raceme;
staminate bracts 1–2 mm.
staminate 1–2 mm, persistent base 0.5–0.8 mm, pistillate 2–3 mm in fruit.
staminate 1.3–1.6 mm, persistent base 0.2–0.4 mm;
pistillate 2–3 mm in fruit.
sepals 3–4(–5), green, 1–2.5 mm;
stamens 3–4, filaments 1.2–1.4 mm, connate basally.
sepals 3–4, green, 1.5–2.5 mm;
stamens 4–5, filaments 0.7–1.3 mm, connate 1/2 length.
sepals lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm;
styles connate 1/5 length;
stigmas undulate to slightly papillate.
sepals rhombic-lanceolate, 1–4 mm;
styles connate 1/4 length;
stigmas undulate.
4–5 mm wide.
6–7 mm wide.
mottled dark olive brown, 2.5–3 mm.
dark brown, 2.5–3.2 mm.
Tragia leptophylla
Tragia nigricans
Tragia leptophylla is known from the western part of the Edwards Plateau region in west-central Texas. K. I. Miller and G. L. Webster (1967) did not recognize T. leptophylla as a distinct species; they treated it as a synonym of T. ramosa. Tragia leptophylla differs from T. ramosa in its less branching habit, dark reddish stems, usually entire leaf blade margins, fewer staminate flowers per inflorescence, and riparian limestone cobble habitat.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The combination of relatively large, coarsely serrate leaf blades, dark stems, and filaments connate to 1/2 of length make Tragia nigricans unique within the genus in North America. It appears to be most closely related to T. leptophylla, which also has dark stems and few staminate flowers per inflorescence. Like T. leptophylla, it is found only in the Edwards Plateau, but is restricted to the eastern part; they overlap only in Uvalde County. They also differ in habitat preference.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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