Euphorbia nephradenia
Leafl. W. Bot. 10: 314. 1966.
Herbs, annual, with slender little-branched taproot. Stems erect to ascending, branched, dichotomous distally and slightly angled, 4–25 cm, glabrous or sparsely strigillose. Leaves opposite; stipules 0.1–0.2 mm; petiole 2–6 mm, glabrous or sparsely strigillose; blade usually linear to narrowly-elliptic, occasionally ovate to obovate, 14–42 × 3–10 mm, progressively narrower distally, base attenuate, margins entire, apex usually acute, rarely obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely strigillose; venation inconspicuous. Cyathia solitary at distal bifurcations of stems; peduncle 0.6–2.4 mm, glabrous or strigillose. Involucre campanulate, 1–1.1 × 1.2–1.4 mm, strigillose at least toward apex; glands 5, green-yellow, oblong, 0.4–0.6 × 0.7–1 mm; appendages whitish to yellow-green, lunate to broadly ovate, 0.2–0.5 × 0.7–1.1 mm, entire or slightly crenulate. Staminate flowers 25–30. Pistillate flowers: ovary glabrous; styles 0.7–1 mm, 2-fid at apex. Capsules oblate to subglobose, 2.9–3.2 × 3.2–3.4 mm, glabrous; columella 2.8–3.1 mm. Seeds light gray to whitish, oblong-ovoid, rounded in cross-section, 2.3–2.6 × 1.3–1.5 mm, dimpled and rugulose; caruncle absent.
Phenology: Flowering and fruiting spring–summer.
Habitat: Saltbush, blackbrush, Ephedra-dominated scrub and desert communities.
Elevation: 1100–1500 m.
Discussion
Euphorbia nephradenia is the only species of the genus endemic to the Colorado Plateau of Utah and adjacent Colorado.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
No values specified."connate" is not a number. "distinct" is not a number."connate" is not a number. "distinct" is not a number.