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EUPHORBIACEAE SPURGE FAMILY

Mark H. Mayfield & Grady L. Webster, except as noted

Annual to shrub, tree [ vine]; monoecious or dioecious.
Stem: generally branched [ fleshy or spiny].
Leaf: generally simple, alternate or opposite, generally stipuled, petioled; blade entire, toothed, or palmately lobed.
Inflorescence: terminal or axillary panicle, raceme or spike, or (Chamaesyce, Euphorbia) a compact unit enclosed by an involucre appearing flower-like, terminal or axillary, 1 or in whorled, umbel-like, or cyme-like arrays.
Flower: unisexual, ± radial; sepals generally 3–5, free or fused; petals generally 0; stamens 1–many, free or filaments fused; ovary superior, chambers 1–4, styles free or fused, simple or lobed.
Fruit: generally capsule.
Seed: 1 per chamber; seed scar appendage sometimes present, pad- to dome-like.
218 genera, 6000+ species: ± worldwide especially tropics; some cultivated (Aleurites, tung oil; Euphorbia species; Hevea, rubber; Ricinus). Many species ± highly TOXIC. [Wurdack & Davis 2009 Amer J Bot 96:1551–1570] Eremocarpus moved to Croton. Tetracoccus moved to Picrodendraceae. —Scientific Editor: Bruce G. Baldwin.
Unabridged references: [Webster 1994 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 81:1–144]

Key to Euphorbiaceae

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Next taxon: Acalypha

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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