sign in sign up
<<
Home , Acalypha, Acalypha ostryifolia, Acalypha rhomboidea, Acalypha virginica, Cnidoscolus urens, Croton glandulosus

– SPURGE

Plant: mostly in N.A., often with an acrid milky sap, but also and in the tropics Stem: Root: : mostly simple, some compound, alternate, opposite or sometimes whorled; often present, some reduced to glands, or none : mostly imperfect (monoecious or dioecious); (4)5(-7) or part calyx and corolla, usually small, or 1 or both absent; 1 to several or absent; superior, 1 pistil, 2(3) styles, carpels 2-4, usually 3 : capsule-like, 3-lobed, and several other types Other: very large family, many are poisonous or very irritating; Dicotyledons Group Genera: ~ 300-400+ genera; locally – (3-seeded mercury), , (spurge), and others

WARNING – family descriptions are only a layman’s guide and should not be used as definitive Morphology in the Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

Cyanthium structure (cup-like ) in the Euphorbia and genera

Ovary of female (pistillate) flower on extended from the cyanthium

Pedicel

Cyanthium

Staminate flowers

Male or staminate flower glands

Appendage of nectar gland (cyanthium is underneath) (no or present) Flower Morphology in the Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

Examples of some common genera

Common Threeseed Mercury Missouri Maidenbush Raf. Vente Conmigo [Sand or Tropic Croton] Leptopus phyllanthoides (Nutt.) G.L. Webster L. var. ( phyllanthoides) septentrionalis Müll. Arg.

Prairie Sandmat Chamaesyce missurica (Raf.) Shinners

Betonyleaf Noseburn Tinted Woodland [Wood] Spurge betonicifolia Nutt. Engelm. ex A. Gray

Finger Rot [Tread-Softly; Spurge Nettle] urens (L.) Arthur var. stimulosus (Michx.) Govaerts Chinese Tallow [Popcorn] Snow-On-The-Mountain sebifera (L.) Small (Introduced) Pursh EUPHORBIACEAE – SPURGE FAMILY

Slender Threeseed Mercury; Acalypha monococca (Engelm. ex Gray) L. Mill. & Gandhi Pineland Threeseed Mercury [Roughpod Copperleaf]; Riddell Common Threeseed Mercury; Acalypha rhomboidea Raf. Threeseed Mercury; L. Creeping [Prostrate] Spurge [Spotted Sandmat]; Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small () Prairie Sandmat; Chamaesyce missurica (Raf.) Shinners Eyebane [Nodding Spurge]; Chamaesyce nutans (Lag.) Small Matted Sandmat [Broomspurge]; Chamaesyce serpens (Kunth) Small Finger Rot [Tread-Softly; Spurge Nettle]; (L.) Arthur var. stimulosus (Michx.) Govaerts [Wolly Croton] Hogwort; Michx. Vente Conmigo [Sand or Tropic Croton]; Croton glandulosus L. var. septentrionalis Müll. Arg. Prairie Tea [One-Seeded Croton]; Michx. Common Rushfoil; Croton willdenowii G.L. Webster Tinted Woodland [Wood] Spurge; Euphorbia commutata Engelm. ex A. Gray Flowering Spurge; L. Fire on the Mountain [Painted-; Wild ; Painted Spurge]; Murr. (Introduced) Cypress Spurge; L. (Introduced) Toothed Spurge; Michx. [Poinsettia dentata] Leafy Spurge; L. (Introduced) Snow-On-The-Mountain; Euphorbia marginata Pursh Missouri Maidenbush; Leptopus phyllanthoides (Nutt.) G.L. Webster (Andrachne phyllanthoides) Castorbean; communis L. (Introduced) Betonyleaf Noseburn; Nutt. Branched Noseburn; Torr. Chinese Tallow [Popcorn] Tree; (L.) Small (Introduced) ( sebifera) Slender Threeseed Mercury USDA Acalypha monococca (Engelm. ex Gray) L. Mill. & Gandhi Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Alley Springs, Ozark National Riverways, Shannon County, Missouri Notes: monoecious; flowers in leaf axils, tips extend well beyond bracts; bracts with 8-18 mostly triangular lobes, hairy; Leaves short-stalked, lanceolate to somewhat linear, entire or with some teeth; stem hairy; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Pineland Threeseed Mercury USDA [Roughpod Copperleaf] Acalypha ostryifolia Riddell Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: monoecious; pistillate flowers in terminal spike, staminate flowers in leaf axils; pistillate bracts with many (13-17) linear lobes; Leaves medium to long petiolate, ovate to somewhat cordate, base usually cordate, fine sharp teeth, paler and slightly hairy below; stem moderately short hairy; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Common Threeseed Mercury USDA Acalypha rhomboidea Raf. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge, White County, Arkansas Notes: monoecious; flowers on spikes in leaf axils, only slightly extended beyond or not; bract with 5-11 mostly lanceolate lobes, somewhat hairy; leaf with long , ovate to lanceolate, sharp tip, base well-angled (broad-angled), with somewhat rounded teeth; stem hairy or not; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Virginia Threeseed Mercury [Virginia USDA Copperleaf] Acalypha virginica L. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge, White County, Arkansas Notes: flowers in spike in leaf axils, spike usually extend beyond bract; 9-15 bract lobes, lanceolate to oblong; leaf with petiole no more than half the length of leaf but longer than flower spike and bracts, ovate to lanceolate, mostly angled at base, some shallow teeth; stem densely hairy; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Creeping [Prostrate] Spurge USDA [Spotted Sandmat] Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small (Euphorbia maculata) Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Waterville, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flower in a with white to pink (-like) appendages, involucre cut about 25% of its length on one side, 4 glands, capsule and ovary hairy (somewhat appressed); leaves longer than wide, widest toward base; stem very hairy, with milky juice; prostrate ; early summer to fall (ID tentative) [V Max Brown, 2007] Prairie Sandmat USDA Chamaesyce missurica (Raf.) Shinners Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Roaring River State Park, Barry County, Missouri Notes: flower in a cyathium with mostly white to somewhat pink (petal-like) appendages, 4-5 lobed; leaves mostly short petiolate to sessile, oblong, often with sharp minute point, base only somewhat offset; stem mostly glabrous; erect and branched plant; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Eyebane [Nodding Spurge] USDA Chamaesyce nutans (Lag.) Small Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Waterville area, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flower in a cyathium with white to pink (petal- like) appendages, 4 glands, ovary glabrous; leaves longer than wide, base somewhat offset, slightly to shallowly toothed, pale beneath; stem with some hairs early, older stem mostly glabrous, with milky juice; erect plant; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Matted Sandmat [Broomspurge] USDA Chamaesyce serpens (Kunth) Small Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Grand Rapids, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flower small, in a cyathium with white (petal-like) appendages, 4 glands; leaves oval, not much longer than wide, usually glabrous, entire, stipules joined and fringed (see white arrow, lower right); stem reddish, mostly glabrous; prostrate leafy plant (growing from wall below); wet areas, particularly stream banks; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2008] Finger Rot [Tread-Softly; USDA Spurge Nettle] Cnidoscolus urens (L.) Arthur var. stimulosus (Michx.) Govaerts Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Tybee Island, Notes: 5 sepaled flower, white (no petals), trumpet shaped male flowers, female flowers in lower forks of clusters; leaves long stalked, deeply 3-5 lobed; fruit an oblong capsule; plant covered with stinging hairs; southern coastal plains; summer [V Max Brown, 2006] [Wolly Croton] Hogwort USDA Croton capitatus Michx. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: flowers in dense clusters, monoecious; leaves mostly alternate, lanceolate to somewhat ovate, rounded to cordate at base, sharp to somewhat rounded tip, with petioles, no large glands on petiole; whole plant densely hairy; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Vente Conmigo [Sand or USDA Tropic Croton] Croton glandulosus L. var. septentrionalis Müll. Arg. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: flowers in dense clusters, monoecious, staminate flowers white, pistillate flowers with 3 styles (each 2-lobed); leaves lanceolate to somewhat ovate, with short petioles, with teeth, base tapered; stem and leaves densely stellate hairy; summer to fall (several varieties) [V Max Brown, 2011] Prairie Tea [One-Seeded USDA Croton] Croton monanthogynus Michx. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Christian County, Missouri Notes: monoecious, flowers in clusters, pistillate flowers with 2 styles (each forked), staminate flowers white; leaves mostly alternate, lanceolate elliptical, rounded at base, rounded to sharp tip, with petioles, no large glands on petiole, paler beneath; plant densely hairy, often with stellate hairs; one-seeded; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Common Rushfoil USDA Croton willdenowii G.L. Webster Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Near Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas Notes: monoecious, flowers in axils, pistillate flowers small with no petals, staminate flowers with small white petals; leaves alternate, lanceolate elliptical, rounded at base, rounded to sharp tip, with short petioles, no large glands on petiole, paler beneath; plant densely hairy, stellate hairs on upper surface, lower with peltate hairs with a brown attachment point with white bodies; one-seeded; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2017] Tinted Woodland [Wood] USDA Spurge Euphorbia commutata Engelm. ex A. Gray Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Whipple (R.A.) State Nature Preserve, Adams County, Ohio Notes: monoecious flower, toothed bracts small (less then 2 mm), no sepals or petals; stem leaves alternate, entire, upper leaves sessile and obovate, lowest stem leaves petiolate, uppermost leaves almost spherical and may be connate; plant mostly erect; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2009] Flowering Spurge USDA Euphorbia corollata L. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flower of 5 white, rounded bracts (no petals); leaves mostly oblong to lanceolate, entire, upper leaves whorled, lower alternate; stem with milky juice, hairy or not; fruit a capsule, develops from green ovary; late spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Fire on the Mountain [Painted-leaf; USDA Wild Poinsettia; Painted Spurge] Euphorbia cyathophora Murr. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Tybee Island, Georgia Notes: small flowers, greenish, in a cyanthium (cup-like involucre of bracts), no petals; stem leaves mostly alternate, highly variable from linear to laneolate to nearly ovate and sometimes lobed, note red patches on upper leaves (commonly); plant usually branching; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Cypress Spurge USDA [Graveyard Spurge] Euphorbia cyparissias L. (Introduced) Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Oak Openings Metro Park, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flowers yellowish to greenish, in a cyanthium (cup-like involucre of bracts); leaves very linear, most under 4 cm, crowded on stem; spring to fall; may be cultivated [V Max Brown, 2004] Toothed Spurge USDA Euphorbia dentata Michx. [Poinsettia dentata] Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flowers small, greenish, in a cyanthium (cup-like involucre of bracts), in terminal cluster; leaves mostly alternate (some opposite) and toothed, hairy; plant erect and sometimes branching; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2005] Leafy Spurge USDA Euphorbia esula L. (Introduced) Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Devils Tower National Monument, Crook County, Wyoming Notes: flower with no sepals or petals, inflorescence an umbellate panicle, staminate flowers and ovaries present (see photo); stem leaves mostly lanceolate to oblong, alternate, entire, glabrous, mostly sessile; inflorescence leaves reniform to ovate; fruit a 3 sectioned capsule; plant mostly erect, up to 1 to 1.5+ m, “weedy”; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2014] Snow-On-The-Mountain USDA Euphorbia marginata Pursh Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Chase County, Kansas Notes: flower small, greenish, in a cyanthium (cup-like involucre of white and showy bracts), flowers in terminal clusters; leaves elliptical, alternate, entire, uppermost leaves with narrow to wide white border; upper half of stem hairy, milky sap; plant erect; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Missouri Maidenbush USDA Leptopus phyllanthoides (Nutt.) G.L. Webster (Andrachne phyllanthoides) Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Roaring River State Park, Barry County, Missouri Notes: dioecious, flowers small, greenish-yellow, short or long stalked from leaf axils, petals with minute marginal hairs, staminate flowers shown; leaves oblong to oval, alternate, entire, sessile or very short petiolate, small stipules present; fruit 3-angled; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Castorbean USDA Ricinus communis L. (Introduced) Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Clearwater, Pinellas County, Notes: monoecious; are spikes of pistillate and staminate flowers lacking petals, staminate flowers with yellow anthers, pistillate flowers with red stigmas; Leaves often large to 45+ cm, palmate with 5 to 12 lobes, leaf segments toothed, petiole long; stem variously pigmented; fruit a spiny capsule, seeds highly poisonous; summer [V Max Brown, 2016] Betonyleaf Noseburn USDA Tragia betonicifolia Nutt. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: dioecious, staminate flowers small, yellowish, pistillate bracts longer than pistil, style fused 0.3 to 0.5 of its length; leaves lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, somewhat triangular, coarsely toothed, with petiole; stem with stinging and non-stinging hairs; fruit with stinging hairs (shown); weak plant, prostrate to erect; glades, prairies and openings; summer to early fall (a painful plant to handle) [V Max Brown, 2010] Branched Noseburn USDA Tragia ramosa Torr. Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Roaring River State Park, Barry County, Missouri Notes: dioecious, staminate flowers small, yellowish, pistillate bracts shorter than pistil, style fused less than 1/3 of its length; leaves lanceolate (not ovate), coarsely toothed, with petiole or not; stem with stinging and non-stinging hairs; fruit with stinging hairs (shown); weak plant, prostrate to erect; glades, prairies and openings; summer to early fall (a painful plant to handle) [V Max Brown, 2011] Chinese Tallow [Popcorn] Tree USDA Triadica sebifera (L.) Small (Introduced) (Sapium sebifera) Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family) Beach, Bay County, Florida Notes: monoecious, pistillate flowers small, greenish-yellow to white in drooping clusters (spike-like inflorescence) without petals, 3 lobed ovaries, staminate flowers small in upper part of inflorescence; leaves alternate, entire, somewhat ovate with acuminulate tip, bright green above, paler below, waxy, turning bright red to yellow in the fall; twig smooth and brittle; sap milky, considered poisonous; fruit 3-lobed capsules; sandy soils usually near coast, from China; spring [V Max Brown, 2015]