Family: Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia parvicaruncula
Citation:
Hassall, Aust. J. Bot. 25:441 (1977).
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Rough-seeded spurge.
Description:
Glabrous, more ascending than decumbent, possibly a short-lived perennial, often ephemeral in the desert, semisucculent with copious milky latex, to 20 cm high (in S.Aust.), branching along the somewhat corky stem near the yellowish-brown base, arising from a long tap root (in S.Aust.) or several shallow roots elsewhere; branches green, with scars of peduncles and leaves; leaves oblanceolate-ovate, 10-30 x 3-10 mm, obtuse, attenuated into a distinct 5-10 mm long filiform petiole, readily caducous, lamina entire or distally serrulate, venation reticulate, inconspicuous.
Cyathia solitary, in axils or terminal, on peduncles to 1 mm long; involucre campanulate, c. 1 mm long, intervening lobes bent inwards; glands peltate, elliptic, c. 0.5 mm long, entire, without appendages or horns, yellow; male flowers in 5 bundles each with several glabrous stamens; styles erect, cleft half way into 6 filiform recurved stigmas.
Capsule drooping, depressed-ovoid, moderately 3-lobed, 3.5-4 x 3-3.5 mm, slightly granulate on the back; seed truncate-quadrangular-ovoid, 2.5-3 x 1.5-1.7 mm, with 1 ventral and 3 distinct dorsal tuberculate ridges, irregularly papillose on the sides, light-brown, with dark-brown to purplish spots; caruncle peltate, forming a lunate hood, 0.8-1 mm long, brown, often caducous.
| Euphorbia parvicaruncula habit, twig, cyathium, fruit and seed.
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Image source: fig 402c in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Hassall (1977) Aust. J. Bot. 25:p. 442, fig. 6; p. 444, fig. 7c; Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 457.
Distribution:
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Usually occurs on hard duplex soils or desert loam in inland Australia.
S.Aust.: NW, LE, GT, FR, EA, MU, SL. W.Aust.; N.T.; Qld; N.S.W.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: at any time of the year.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Taxonomic notes:
Differs from E. tannensis subsp. eremophila which has thinner stems and a bigger hat-shaped caruncle; differs from E. stevenii which has acarunculate and minutely but densely tuberculate seeds.
Author:
Not yet available
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