Emex spinosa

Plants 3–6(–8) dm. Stems ascending to erect, base often reddish, branched proximally. Leaves: ocrea loose, glabrous; petiole 2–29 cm, glabrous; blade ovate to ovate-oblong or triangular, 3–13 × 1.1–12 cm, base mostly truncate to subcordate, apex obtuse to acute. Staminate flowers 1–8 per ocreate fascicle; tepals narrowly oblong to oblanceolate, 1.5–2 mm. Pistillate flowers 2–7 per ocreate fascicle; outer tepals ovate to oblong, 4–6 mm in fruit, inner tepals linear-lanceolate, 5–6 mm in fruit, apex acute. Fruiting perianths 5–6 × 5–6 mm, spines spreading to reflexed, 2–4 mm, base broad. Achenes 4–5 × 2–3 mm, shiny. 2n = 20.

Phenology: Flowering year-round.
Habitat: Sandy shores, disturbed ground
Elevation: 0-500 m

Calif., Fla., Mass., N.J., Tex., South America (Argentina, Ecuador, Peru), Eurasia (Mediterranean region), n Africa (Mediterranean region), introduced in Eurasia (Cyprus, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey), Africa (Algeria, Kenya, Kuwait, Mauritius, Morocco), Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands), Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Australia.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa