Felger, R.S., S. Rutman, and N.C. Taylor. 2015. Ajo Peak to Tinajas Altas: A flora of southwestern Arizona. Part 13. Eudicots: Euphorbiaceae. Phytoneuron 2015-26: 1–65. Published 15 April 2015. SSN 2153 733X AJO PEAK TO TINAJAS ALTAS: A FLORA OF SOUTHWESTERN ARIZONA Part 13. EUDICOTS: EUPHORBIACEAE – SPURGE FAMILY RICHARD STEPHEN FELGER Herbarium, University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 85721 & Sky Island Alliance P.O. Box 41165 Tucson, Arizona 85717 *Author for correspondence:
[email protected] SUSAN RUTMAN 90 West 10 th Street Ajo, Arizona 85321
[email protected] NATHAN CALEB TAYLOR Biological, Geological, and Physical Sciences Department Sul Ross State University Alpine, Texas 79830
[email protected] ABSTRACT A floristic and natural history account is provided for the spurge family as part of the vascular plant flora of the contiguous protected areas of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and the Tinajas Altas Region in the Sonoran Desert of southwestern Arizona. This contribution includes 31 species in 8 genera, all of which are native to the region except Euphorbia prostrata and perhaps Euphorbia spathulata . At least 9 species are represented in fossil record. Euphorbia , with 18 species, is the most diverse genus in the flora of southwest Arizona. Euphorbia spathulata is the only obligate cool-season ephemeral among the spurge family in the flora area and is not known elsewhere in the core area of the Sonoran Desert, and Jatropha cinerea is not known elsewhere in the USA. This publication, encompassing the Euphorbiaceae, is our 13th contribution to the vascular plant flora in southwestern Arizona.