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dark noseburn

blunt-tooth noseburn, dog-tooth noseburn

Habit Herbs, 1.5–5.5 dm. Subshrubs, 1.2–5 dm.
Stems

erect, purple-green to reddish black, apex never flexuous.

erect to trailing, gray-green, apex often flexuous.

Leaves

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.

petiole 4–20(–30) mm;

blade usually triangular to subhastate, sometimes ovate, 1–4.5 × 0.8–3 cm, base cordate, hastate, or truncate, margins crenate to serrate, apex acute to obtuse.

Inflorescences

terminal (appearing leaf opposed), glands absent, staminate flowers 2–5 per raceme;

staminate bracts 1–2 mm.

terminal or axillary, glands absent, staminate flowers 5–16 per raceme;

staminate bracts 0.9–2 mm.

Pedicels

staminate 1.3–1.6 mm, persistent base 0.2–0.4 mm;

pistillate 2–3 mm in fruit.

staminate 0.7–1.2 mm, persistent base 0.2–0.8 mm;

pistillate 1.5–4 mm in fruit.

Staminate flowers

sepals 3–4, green, 1.5–2.5 mm;

stamens 4–5, filaments 0.7–1.3 mm, connate 1/2 length.

sepals 3–4, green, 0.9–1.2 mm;

stamens 3–4, filaments 0.2–0.7 mm.

Pistillate flowers

sepals rhombic-lanceolate, 1–4 mm;

styles connate 1/4 length;

stigmas undulate.

sepals lanceolate, 1–2.5 mm;

styles connate to 1/3 length, short-exserted;

stigmas undulate to subpapillate.

Capsules

6–7 mm wide.

7–8 mm wide.

Seeds

dark brown, 2.5–3.2 mm.

brown with tan mottling, 2.5–3.5 mm.

2n

= 110.

Tragia nigricans

Tragia amblyodonta

Phenology Flowering spring–summer; fruiting midsummer–fall. Flowering spring–fall; fruiting summer–late fall.
Habitat Open oak woodlands. Dry, rocky, exposed slopes in xerophytic scrub.
Elevation 100–700 m. (300–2300 ft.) 10–1400 m. (0–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Tragia amblyodonta is easily distinguished from other members of Tragia by the combination of usually triangular to subhastate leaf blades, gray-green coloration, and painfully stinging hairs. Both stomata diameter and pollen grain size of T. amblyodonta are larger than in any other North American species of Tragia (K. I. Miller and G. L. Webster 1967).

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 189. FNA vol. 12, p. 186.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Tragia Euphorbiaceae > Tragia
Sibling taxa
T. amblyodonta, T. betonicifolia, T. brevispica, T. cordata, T. glanduligera, T. jonesii, T. laciniata, T. leptophylla, T. nepetifolia, T. ramosa, T. saxicola, T. smallii, T. urens, T. urticifolia
T. betonicifolia, T. brevispica, T. cordata, T. glanduligera, T. jonesii, T. laciniata, T. leptophylla, T. nepetifolia, T. nigricans, T. ramosa, T. saxicola, T. smallii, T. urens, T. urticifolia
Synonyms T. nepetifolia var. amblyodonta
Name authority Bush ex Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 702. (1903) (Müller Arg.) Pax & K. Hoffmann: in H. G. A. Engler, Pflanzenr. 68[IV,147]: 51. (1919)
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