Euphorbia mendezii

Boissier

Cent. Euphorb., 15. 1860.

Common names: Mendez’s sandmat
WeedyIntroduced
Synonyms: Chamaesyce mendezii (Boissier) Millspaugh
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 277. Mentioned on page 253.

Herbs, annual or perennial, with slender taproot. Stems prostrate, often mat-forming, 8–35 cm, usually villous along margins, lower surface glabrous, upper surface usually strigillose to puberulent, rarely glabrous or glabrate. Leaves opposite; stipules usually distinct or connate basally, rarely completely connate, deltate, laciniate, glabrous or pilose (lower side), forming narrow deltate scale, sometimes apically 2-fid or laciniate, glabrous (upper side), 0.4–1.9 mm; petiole 0.3–1.2 mm, glabrous, pilose or villous; blade oblong to obovate, 4–12 × 2–7 mm, base asymmetric, one side attenuate, cuneate or rounded, other rounded or cordate, margins serrulate at least distally, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely sericeous, pilose or villous; 3-veined at base. Cyathia solitary at nodes or on short, congested axillary branches; peduncle 0.9–2.5 mm. Involucre campanulate or obconic, 0.8–1 × 0.7–0.8 mm, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pilose toward apex; glands 4, pink, reniform, oblong or elliptic, 0.1 × 0.2–0.3 mm; appendages absent or white to pink, oblong, flabellate or forming narrow rim around edge of gland, 0.1–0.3 × 0.3–0.6 mm, distal margin usually entire, sometimes lobed. Staminate flowers 6–15. Pistillate flowers: ovary usually pilose or villous with hairs concentrated along keels, rarely glabrous; styles 0.2–0.3 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length. Capsules ovoid, 1.2–1.6 × 1.2–1.4 mm, usually pilose or villous with hairs concentrated along keels, often glabrous in between, very rarely completely glabrous; columella 1–1.4 mm. Seeds reddish brown to orange or gray-pink, narrowly ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 0.9–1.2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, almost smooth or with 5–7 faint transverse ridges that do not pass through abaxial keel.


Phenology: Flowering and fruiting year-round.
Habitat: Disturbed areas.
Elevation: 0–10 m.

Distribution

V12 234-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n South America.

Discussion

Euphorbia mendezii is a common weed distributed widely throughout Mexico and Central America. Within the flora area the species is known only from southern Florida.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Euphorbia mendezii"
Victor W. Steinmann +, Jeffery J. Morawetz +, Paul E. Berry +, Jess A. Peirson +  and Ya Yang +
Boissier +
Anisophyllum +
Mendez’s sandmat +
Fla. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and n South America. +
0–10 m. +
Disturbed areas. +
Flowering and fruiting year-round. +
Cent. Euphorb., +
Weedy +  and Introduced +
Chamaesyce mendezii +
Euphorbia mendezii +
Euphorbia sect. Anisophyllum +
species +