| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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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 .
Annual, perennial herb, subshrub, generally monoecious; sap clear; hairs 0 or generally 2-forked, generally appressed
Stems spreading to erect, 1–10 dm
Leaves simple, alternate, stipuled
Inflorescence: raceme, axillary; staminate flowers generally above pistillate flowers; axis generally densely appressed-hairy; bracts entire
Staminate flower: sepals 5, edges abutting in bud; petals 5; stamens 5–15, generally in 2 sets, some > others, filaments fused into a column, staminodes 0–3 at column tip
Pistillate flower: sepals 5, overlapping in bud; petals 5; nectar disk ± dissected; ovary 3-chambered, styles 3, 2-lobed
Fruit smooth
Seeds: surface net-like to finely pitted; scar not appendaged
Species in genus: ± 50 species: tropical, warm temp Am
Etymology: (Greek: 2-ranked, from 2 sets of anthers)
| Native |
Subshrub
Stems generally erect, 1–5 dm, brittle, appressed-hairy
Leaf 2–6 cm; stipules ± 1 mm, entire; blade lanceolate, densely hairy, margin entire
Staminate flower: sepals 2.5–3 mm, hairy; petals 3–3.5 mm, back hairy; stamen column ± 1.5 mm
Pistillate flower: sepals 3–4 mm, entire; petals ± = sepals, lanceolate to ovate, back hairy; ovary densely appressed-hairy, styles generally free, lobe tips expanded
Fruit 3–5 mm
Seed 2–2.5 mm, angled, pitted
Ecology: Rocky soils, slopes, canyons
Elevation: < 600 m.
Bioregional distribution: Mojave Desert (Eagle Mtn), Sonoran Desert
Distribution outside California: Arizona, Mexico
Flowering time: Mar–May