| 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 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 .
Perennial < 0.5 m, monoecious; hairs stinging, nettle-like
Stems spreading to erect, branched, sometimes twining
Leaves generally simple, cauline, alternate; stipules persistent
Inflorescence: raceme, terminal or opposite leaf; staminate flowers above pistillate flowers
Staminate flower: sepals 3(–5); petals 0; stamens 3–6(50); nectary 0
Pistillate flower: sepals 4–8; petals 0; ovary 3-chambered, styles simple, ± fused at base
Fruit ± spheric
Seeds 1 per chamber, smooth or ± rough; scar not appendaged
Species in genus: ± 100 species: tropical, warm temp worldwide
Etymology: (Latin: Tragus, name for Hieronymus Bock, German herbalist, 1498–1554)
Reference: [Miller & Webster 1967 Rhodora 69:241–305]
| Native |
Plant rough-hairy
Stem 1–3 dm
Leaf: stipules 1–4.5 mm, lanceolate to ovate; petiole 2–20 mm; blade 1–2 cm, lanceolate to ovate, base truncate to ± lobed, margin coarsely, sharply toothed
Inflorescence 0.5–1 cm, ± spreading; pedicels 1–2 mm; staminate flowers 2–4; pistillate flower 1
Staminate flower: sepals 4–5, ± 1 mm, recurved; stamens 3–6, = sepals, filaments ± flattened
Pistillate flower: sepals 5, 1.5–2 mm; ovary < 2 mm diam, puberulent to finely bristly, styles fused in lower 1/3
Fruit 3–4 mm, 6–8 mm wide, depressed-spheric, sparsely and finely bristly
Seed 2.5–3.5 mm, ± spheric
Ecology: Dry, rocky slopes, scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 900–1700 m.
Bioregional distribution: Desert Mountains (Clark, New York, Providence mtns)
Distribution outside California: to c US, Texas, Mexico
Synonyms: T. stylaris Muell. Arg