TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) previous taxon | next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora.

    THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER UPDATED
    AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY
  • Up-to-date information about California vascular plants is available from the Jepson eFlora.

EUPHORBIACEAE

SPURGE FAMILY

Grady L. Webster, except as specified

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 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
Seeds 1–2 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 48:303–430]
Many species ± highly TOXIC.

TETRACOCCUS

Shrub, generally 0.5–2 m, dioecious; sap clear
Stem: axis erect; branches generally many, spreading to erect; twigs generally reddish, becoming gray, generally hairy, becoming glabrous; young lateral twigs short, sometimes becoming spine-like
Leaves simple, cauline, alternate, opposite, or whorled in 3's, generally clustered at short, lateral branch tips; stipules 0; petiole < 2 mm; blade leathery, entire or toothed, base obtuse to acute
Staminate inflorescence: cyme, raceme, or panicle, axillary, sometimes clustered on short, lateral twigs, minutely bracted
Pistillate inflorescence axillary; flower 1
Staminate flower: sepals 4–10, 0.5–2 mm; petals 0; stamens 5–10, filaments glabrous or hairy; nectary disk ± minutely lobed
Pistillate flower: sepals 4–13, 2–5 mm; petals 0; nectary disk minutely lobed; ovary (2)3–5-chambered, styles = chambers, free, ± flattened, generally spreading
Fruit ± spheric, generally lobed, glabrous or short hairy, generally brown
Seeds 1–2 per chamber, smooth, shiny; scar generally appendaged
Species in genus: 5 species: CA, AZ, Mex
Etymology: (Latin: 4 seeds, from 4-lobed ovary in T. dioicus )
Reference: [Dressler 1954 Rhodora 56:45–61]

Native

T. dioicus Parry

PARRY'S TETRACOCCUS


Stem: twigs sparsely fine-tomentose near axils, becoming glabrous
Leaves generally opposite or 3-whorled; blade 10–30 mm, narrowly oblanceolate, tip rounded to acute, margin entire or sparsely fine-toothed, sometimes inrolled
Staminate inflorescence: generally raceme; pedicel 3–10 mm
Staminate flower: sepals 6–10, ovate to lanceolate; stamens 5–10, filaments 2.5–4 mm, base soft-hairy
Pistillate flower: pedicel 6–15 mm; sepals 7–13, 3–5 mm, widely lanceolate to ovate; ovary finely tomentose, chambers 4(5), style 3–3.5 mm
Fruit ± 6 mm, 7–9 mm wide, sparsely fine-tomentose
Ecology: Dry slopes, chaparral
Elevation: < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: s South Coast (San Diego Co.), w Peninsular Ranges
Distribution outside California: Baja California
Horticultural information: In cultivation.

previous taxon | next taxon
bioregional map for TETRACOCCUS%20dioicus being generated
 


Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Tetracoccus dioicus
Retrieve dichotomous key for Tetracoccus
Return to treatment index page
Glossary
University & Jepson Herbaria Home Page | Copyright © by the Regents of the University of California