TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual, perennial herb, shrub, tree, vine, monoecious or dioecious
Stem generally branched, sometimes fleshy or spiny
Leaves generally simple, alternate or opposite, generally stipuled, petioled; blade entire, toothed, or palmately lobed
Inflorescence: cyme, panicle, raceme, spike; flowers sometimes in clusters (dense, enclosed by involucre, flower-like in Chamaesyce, Euphorbia ), terminal or axillary
Flower unisexual, ± radial; sepals generally 35, free or fused; petals generally 0; stamens 1many, free or filaments fused; ovary superior, chambers 14, styles free or fused, simple or lobed
Fruit: generally capsule
Seeds 12 per chamber; seed scar appendage sometimes present, pad- to dome-like
Genera in family: 300 genera, 7500 species: ± worldwide especially tropical; some cultivated (Aleurites , tung oil; Euphorbia subsp.; Hevea , rubber; Ricinus )
Reference: [Webster 1967 J Arnold Arbor 48:303430]
Many species ± highly TOXIC .
Annual, perennial herb, generally monoecious, glabrous to hairy; sap milky
Stem prostrate to erect, < 5 dm; branches alternate
Leaves cauline, opposite, short-petioled; stipules present; blade base generally asymmetric, veins dark green
Inflorescence flower-like, generally 1 per node; involucre ± bell-shaped, bracts 5, fused; glands 4, distal appendages generally colorful, petal-like; flowers central
Staminate flowers 3many, generally in 5 clusters around pistillate flower, each flower a stamen
Pistillate flower 1, central, stalked; ovary chambers 3, ovule 1 per chamber, styles 3, separate or fused at base, divided to entire
Fruit: capsule, round to 3-angled or -lobed in X -section
Seed generally 4-angled, smooth or sculptured
Species in genus: ± 250 species: dry temp, subtropical worldwide, especially Am. Often treated as subg. of Euphorbia
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name for kind of prostrate plant)
Reference: [Wheeler 1941 Rhodora 43:97154, 168286]
Horticultural information: STBL.
Native |
Perennial
Stem prostrate to decumbent, tomentose or becoming glabrous
Leaf 46 mm; lower stipules fused; upper stipules separate, thread-like, tomentose; blade oblong to ovate, tomentose, tip obtuse, margin entire
Inflorescences generally clustered at branch tips; involucre < 2.5 mm, bell-shaped, tomentose; gland < 1 mm, oblong; appendage = to or wider than gland, entire to scalloped, white
Staminate flowers 1722
Pistillate flower: style divided 1/2 length
Fruit 2 mm, ovoid, 3-lobed, tomentose
Seed < 2 mm, ovoid, smooth, white
Ecology: Uncommon. Dry, sandy places
Elevation: < 1300 m.
Bioregional distribution: East of Sierra Nevada, Mojave Desert
Flowering time: MayOct
Synonyms: Euphorbia v-m. (Millsp.) J.T. Howell