Euphorbia dendroides

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 462. 1753.

Common names: Tree spurge
Introduced
Synonyms: Tithymalus dendroides (Linnaeus) Hill
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 302. Mentioned on page 295.

Shrubs, dendroid, with large rootstock. Stems erect, stout, densely branched, to 200 cm, glabrous, bark usually reddish and glossy toward tip of branches. Leaves: petiole absent; blade linear-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 20–65 × 3–8 mm, base attenuate, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes mucronulate, surfaces glabrous; venation pinnate, midvein prominent, base attenuate. Cyathial arrangement: terminal pleiochasial branches 4–8, unbranched or 1–2-times 2-branched; pleiochasial bracts similar in shape to but usually shorter and wider than distal leaves; dichasial bracts distinct, yellowish, broadly ovate, orbiculate, rhombic, or reniform, base obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronulate; axillary pleiochasial absent. Cyathia: peduncle absent. Involucre broadly turbinate to hemispheric, 3–4 × 3.5–3.8 mm, glabrous; glands 4, suborbiculate to subtrapezoidal, 1–1.5 × 1.2–1.8 mm, sometimes irregularly lobed; horns absent. Staminate flowers 20–25. Pistillate flowers: ovary glabrous; styles 2.4–3 mm, 2-fid. Capsules subglobose, 4–5.5 × 4–6.5 mm, deeply lobed; cocci laterally compressed, smooth, glabrous; columella 3–4 mm. Seeds grayish or blackish, ovoid and strongly laterally compressed, 3–3.5 × 1.5–2 mm, smooth; caruncle semirounded and laterally compressed, 1.2–1.4 × 0.8–1.8 mm.


Phenology: Flowering and fruiting fall–spring.
Habitat: Coastal plains and basins, hillsides.
Elevation: 0–500 m.

Distribution

V12 22-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Calif., Europe, n Africa

Discussion

Euphorbia dendroides is native to the Mediterranean region. In the flora area, the species is known from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"usually shorter and wider" is not a number."connate" is not a number. "distinct" is not a number."connate" is not a number. "distinct" is not a number.

... more about "Euphorbia dendroides"
mucronulate;obtuse;mucronulate;obtuse;acute +
Ricarda Riina +, Dmitry V. Geltman +, Jess A. Peirson +  and Paul E. Berry +
Linnaeus +
obtuse +  and attenuate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (6.5 cm65 mm <br />0.065 m <br />) +
linear-lanceolate;oblong-lanceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
dichasial +  and pleiochasial +
distinct +
reniform +, rhombic +, orbiculate +  and ovate +
cymose +, branched +, unbranched +  and pleiochasial +
arranged +  and opposite +
additional;2;4 +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br />) +
lobed +  and subglobose +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br />) +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br />) +
compressed +  and semirounded +
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
compressed +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Tree spurge +
Calif. +, Europe +  and n Africa +
0–500 m. +
pistillate +  and staminate +
1mm;1.5mm +
subtending +
lobed +  and suborbiculate +
1.2mm +  and 1.8mm +
Coastal plains and basins, hillsides. +
axillary +  and terminal +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
broadly turbinate +  and hemispheric +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.38 cm3.8 mm <br />0.0038 m <br />) +
caducous +, deciduous +  and persistent +
bractlike +
palmate +  and pinnate +
toothed +  and entire +
connate;distinct +
hairy +  and glabrous +
Flowering and fruiting fall–spring. +
blackish;grayish +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
compressed +  and ovoid +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Introduced +
free +, connate +  and distinct +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (200 cm2,000 mm <br />2 m <br />) +
herbaceous +  and woody +
deciduous +  and persistent +
connate +  and distinct +
0.24 cm2.4 mm <br />0.0024 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
Tithymalus dendroides +
Euphorbia dendroides +
Euphorbia subg. Esula +
species +
2-branched +, 1-2-times +, unbranched +  and pleiochasial +
rounded +  and attenuate +
perennial +, biennial +  and annual +
10 +, 9 +, 8 +, 7 +  and 6 +