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| Scientific Name | Euphorbia albomarginata (Chamaesyce albomarginata) | USDA PLANTS Symbol |
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| Common Name | Rattlesnake Weed, Whitemargined Sandmat | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. |
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| Family | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Habitat: Limestone soils and poorly-drained clay soils; in open or disturbed areas in desert scrub, grasslands, mesquite woodlands. Plant: Prostrate, mat-forming perennial with stems branching from a central point and frequently rooting at nodes; stems 4 to 30 inches long. Leaves: Opposite stem leaves on very short petioles; blades orbicular to oblong, 1/8 to 1/3 inch long, entire margins often with a red blotch in the center. Inflorescence: Very small flowers with what appear to be 4 white petals; each blossom is actually a cyathium, a cup formed by white petal-like bracts which contain very small, separate male and female flowers. For a detailed description click here. Fruit: Smooth, tiny, broadly oval-shaped, ~1/16-inch long. Bloom Period: April to September. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, "Northern Chihuahuan Desert Wildflowers" by Steve West, and SEINet. |
BONAP Distribution Map
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Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia antisyphilitica | USDA PLANTS Symbol | EUAN3 |
| Common Name | Candelilla | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 28042 |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge) | Flora of North America Ref. | Click Here |
| Description |
Habitat: Desert environment; limestone soils in scrub ateas. Plant: Multistemmed perennial up to 24 inches tall; grayish-green, pencil-like stems covered with flaky, exfoliating layer of wax. Leaves: Alternate, very small leaves on newer growth, less than 1/8-inch long. Inflorescence: Flower-like cyathia congested along the stems, each one resembling a single flower but actually comprised of many very small yellowish male flowers that resemble stamens surrounding a female flower; petal-like appendages are white to pink and ovate or oblong in shape, less than 1/8-inch long and across. Bloom Period: Year-round with sufficient rainfall. Fruit: Smooth, green, oblong to ovoid, 1/6-inch long protruding from center of each cyanthium. References: "Wildflowers Texas Hill" by Michael Eason, "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and Flora of North America. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia capitellata (Chamaesyce capitellata, Chamaesyce pycnanthema) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | CHCA29 |
| Common Name | Head Sandmat | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 28050 |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Dry areas in gravelly washes, rocky slopes, basaltic talus, disturbed roadsides, desert scrub and grasslands; 1,500 to 5,000 ft. Plant: Decumbent to erect annual or short-lived perennial a few inches tall with many (5 to 50) slightly hairy to smooth, somewhat branched, stems up to 14 inches long. Leaves: Opposite,ovate to narrowly ovate, 3/16 to 1 inch long, with asymmetrical bases and acute to obtuse tips; lower margins are serrate, upper are entire, or sometimes both are the same; surfaces are gray-green, smooth or sparsely covered with short hairs. Inflorescence: Dense, ball-shaped clusters of very small (appearing to be about 1/8-inch across or less) cyathia at the upper leaf axils; cyathia have a reddish, bell-shaped involucre ringed by white "petals" (actually called "appendages") surrounding 4 yellow-green to reddish nectar glands at thei bases; each cyathium with many staminate flowers (stamens and anthers) and one pistillate flower (the ovary) that is smooth or fuzzy with a protruding stigma with 3 styles, each with 2 whitish lobes. Fruit: Smooth to hairy, tiny, broadly oval-shaped, ~1/16-inch long and as wide. Bloom Period: April to November. References: Flora of North America and SEINet; Euphorbia pycnanthema in "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia eriantha | USDA PLANTS Symbol |
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| Common Name | Beetle Spurge, Woolly-flower Spurge | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. |
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| Family | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Habitat: Gravely, dry, hot areas, hillsides, and canyons. Plant: Erect annual 6 to 20 inches tall tangled with many branching stems. Leaves: Very narrow, alternate, linear leaves 1 to 3 inches long. Inflorescence: Many (>25) tiny white flowers in a few hairy clusters at the ends of the branches; male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers are separate. Fruit: Female flower becoming a small green, hairy fruit capsule less than 1/4 inch long. Bloom Period: February to October. References: SEINet. |
BONAP Distribution Map
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Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia simulans (Chamaesyce simulans) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | CHSI5 |
| Common Name | Mimicking Sandmat | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 28137 |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Clays, sandy, gravelly or rocky soils in desert scrub, mountains, hills, canyons, washes, flats and roadsides; 2000 to 4200 ft.; in the US, found only in Brewster, Presidio and Hudpseth counties of Texas. Plant: Usually prostrate, mat-forming annual or short-lived perennial with fleshy, reddish-green, tangled stems 2 to 16 inches long. Leaves: Opposite, orbiculate, oval, to shortly oblong less than 1/8 to 3/16-inch long with rounded tips and on short petioles less than 1/16-inch long; smooth surfaces and entire margins. Inflorescence: Very small (about 1/16-inch long) cyathia at nodes or stem forks which have bell- or top-shaped cups (involucre) surrounded by 4 red to purple nectar glands with no "appendages"; each cyathium with many staminate flowers (stamens and anthers) and one pistillate flower (the ovary) that is smooth or fuzzy with a protruding stigma with 3 styles, each with 2 whitish lobes. Fruit: Smooth, tiny, broadly oval-shaped, ~1/16-inch long and almost as wide. Bloom Period: April to October. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and Flora of North America. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
