Euphorbia dentata
(Toothed Spurge)
Euphorbia dentata, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 1133
Euphorbia dentata, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 1137
Euphorbia dentata, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 1122
Euphorbia dentata, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 1126
Euphorbia dentata, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 1129-1
Euphorbia dentata, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 1129-2
Euphorbia dentata, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 1129-3
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia dentata | USDA PLANTS Symbol | EUDE4 |
| Common Name | Toothed Spurge, Toothed-leaf Poinsettia | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 502535 |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Various soils on dry plains, woodlands, thickets, roadsides and other disturbed areas; 0-3300 ft. Plant: Erect annual 6 to 24 inches tall, stems are hairy and simply branched. Leaves: Stem leaves are opposite except the lowest which are alternate, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 5/8 to 2-3/8 inches long; margins are usually coarsely crenate-dentate and tips are pointed; on petioles 2/5 to 4/5-inch long. Inflorescence: Flat-topped tight clusters of very small, 1/16-inch-wide cyathia (the name for flowers in the spurge family) at the tips of most branches, each cluster up to 1+ inches across atop a straight floral stem; each subtended by green, leaf-like lanceolate bracts (1/4 to 2-1/2 inches long) and larger green leaves that are often white to reddish at the base of their upper surfaces; each cyathium has both female and male flowers, neither with petals nor sepals; the pistil of the female cyanthium has a round ovary that becomes the fruit capsule. For a more detailed description of the cyathia click here. Bloom Period: Spring through fall. Fruit: Small, round, 3-lobed, green, fruit capsule less than 1/4 inch across. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, Arkansas Native Plant Society, iNaturalist, Flora of North America and SEINet. Note: It is possible that the plants in the photos are E. davidii, a very similar species with leaves that are "usually narrowly to broadly elliptic, occasionally lance-elliptic...", the lower leaf surface is "strigose with stiff, strongly tapered hairs", the upper "sparsely strigose-hirsute..." per Flora of North America. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County
© Tom Lebsack 2024