Tragia urticifolia |
Tragia cordata |
|
---|---|---|
nettle-leaf noseburn |
heart-leaf noseburn |
|
Habit | Herbs or subshrubs, 2–7 dm. | |
Stems | erect, green, apex never flexuous. |
usually decumbent or twining, rarely erect, gray-green to light green, apex flexuous. |
Leaves | petiole 3–15 mm; blade triangular-lanceolate, 2.7–6.7 × 1–3 cm, base truncate to cordate, margins serrate, apex acute. |
petiole 15–85 mm; blade ovate to broadly cordate, 4.5–10(–13) × 3.5–10 cm, base cordate, margins serrate, apex acuminate. |
Inflorescences | terminal (appearing leaf opposed), glands absent, staminate flowers 11–40 per raceme, evenly distributed; staminate bracts 1–1.5 mm. |
terminal (often appearing leaf-opposed), glands absent, staminate flowers 20–60 per raceme; staminate bracts 1.5–2 mm. |
Pedicels | staminate 1.5–2 mm, persistent base 1–1.8 mm, longer than subtending bract; pistillate 3–4 mm in fruit. |
staminate 1.5–2.2 mm, persistent base 0.7–1 mm; pistillate 2.5–3 mm in fruit. |
Staminate flowers | sepals 3, green, 1.2–2.1 mm; stamens 3, filaments 0.3–0.8 mm. |
sepals 3, green, 0.7–1 mm; stamens 3, filaments 0.2–0.5 mm. |
Pistillate flowers | sepals lanceolate-ovate, 1.3–2.3 mm; styles connate 1/3 length; stigmas papillate. |
sepals elliptic to ovate, 1.5–2 mm; styles connate 1/4–1/3 length; stigmas papillate. |
Capsules | 7–8 mm wide. |
11–13 mm wide. |
Seeds | dark brown, 3–4 mm. |
dark brown, 4.3–5.3 mm. |
Vines | , 15–20 dm. |
|
2n | = 44. |
|
Tragia urticifolia |
Tragia cordata |
|
Phenology | Flowering late spring–summer; fruiting summer–fall. | Flowering spring–fall; fruiting summer–late fall. |
Habitat | Dry, sandy soils, open pine-oak woods, hardwoods, rock ledges, fields. | Rich deciduous forests, riverbanks, rocky thickets. |
Elevation | 10–600 m. (0–2000 ft.) | 50–500 m. (200–1600 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TN; TX; VA
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AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MO; MS; OK; TN; TX
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Discussion | Plants of Tragia urticifolia are easily distinguished from those of other non-glandular North American members of Tragia by the persistent bases of its staminate pedicels, which are long-extended beyond their subtending bracts. Although similar to T. betonicifolia, T. urticifolia has fewer stems, shorter pistillate sepals, inflorescences with fewer staminate flowers that are not distally clustered, and leaf blades with very light green abaxial surfaces. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Both the morphology and ecology of Tragia cordata make it unique among American members of Tragia. The relatively large, heart-shaped leaves separate it from the other Tragia in the flora area; it is the only twining species of Tragia found in the deciduous forest of the Midwest. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 191. | FNA vol. 12, p. 187. |
Parent taxa | Euphorbiaceae > Tragia | Euphorbiaceae > Tragia |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 176. (1803) | Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 176. (1803) |
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