Euphorbia misera is a semi-succulent shrub in the genus Euphorbia commonly known as the cliff spurge or coast spurge.[3] A drought-deciduous shrub, it is typically found as a gnarled, straggly plant occupying seashore bluffs, hills and deserts. Like other members of its genus, it has a milky sap, which can be found exuding out of the light gray bark when damaged. The alternately-arranged leaves are round and folded in the middle, with small hairs on them. The "flowers" (actually an inflorescence called a cyathium) can be found blooming year-round, and are colored maroon or yellow in the center with 5 white to light-yellow petal-like appendages attached outside. This species is native to the Baja California peninsula and Sonora in Mexico,[4] and the coast of southern California in the United States, where it is a rare species. It is threatened in some localities by the development of its coastal habitat, which tends to be prime locations for high-end residential and commercial developments.[5]
Euphorbia misera is a drought-deciduousshrub standing erect or mounding. An acrid, milky sap is exuded when the leaves or branches are ruptured or cut.[5] It has small, rounded, hairy leaves and inflorescences at the tips of the branches. The distinctive flower has a central nectar disc with a bright red appendage with scalloped edges and a light yellow fringe. The fruit is a spherical capsule with lobes containing round, wrinkled gray seeds.[6]
Morphology
The majority of the plant is covered in very fine hairs, except for the stems. The stems are soft and rubbery,[5] covered in a light gray bark, stout, and often gnarled. The stems may reach 5–10 decimetres (1.6–3.3 ft) in length. The branches are semi-succulent and flexible. The pubescent leaves are petioled, on short, lateral spurs placed in a lateral arrangement.[4] The leaf is 0.4–1.5 centimetres (0.16–0.59 in) long, shaped ovate to round, and more or less folded, with entire margins. The base of the leaf is obtuse to rounded, and the tip is rounded. The stipules are thread-like and fringed.[6]
The inflorescence is a cyathium, (a structure that looks similar to a traditional flower) with usually a single cyathia at a branch tip or sometimes in the distal axils. The involucre is 2–3 millimetres (0.079–0.118 in) long and bell shaped. There are 5 glands on the cyathium, colored a maroon to yellow. The glands are 1.5–2 millimetres (0.059–0.079 in) long, transversely oblong or elliptic. Attached to the glands are white to light-yellow petal-like appendages. These appendages may be narrower than to wider than the gland, and are scalloped or irregularly cut. There are 30 to 40 staminate flowers. The fruits are 4–5 millimetres (0.16–0.20 in) long, shaped spheric and lobed, and are densely puberulent or becoming glabrous (hairless). The seeds are 2.5–3 millimetres (0.098–0.118 in) long, ovoid, and round in cross section. The seeds are colored white to gray and tend to be wrinkled.[4][6]
Taxonomy
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2022)
This species was described by George Bentham in 1844, based on the botanical science from the explorations of the H. M. S. Sulphur. The name misera is Latin for "poor" or "wretched,"[7] which might refer to the appearance of the plant without its leaves.[8]
This species is related to the similar-looking Euphorbia californica.[4]
This species is found growing on rocky slopes and soils, vertical cliff faces, and coastal bluffs.[6] It is an abundant resident of coastal succulent scrub habitat present in coastal California and Baja California.[4] Habitats vary from bluff margins and coastal mesas to outright desert.[5]
Gallery
Cyanthia growing out of axils, with the foliage and characteristic gnarled gray stems
^ abRebman, J. P.; Gibson, J.; Rich, K. (2016). "Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Baja California, Mexico" (PDF). San Diego Society of Natural History. 45: 144.
^ abcdeRebman, Jon P.; Roberts, Norman C. (2012). Baja California Plant Field Guide. San Diego: Sunbelt Publications. p. 237. ISBN978-0-916251-18-5.
^ abcdeRoberts, Fred (5 September 2021). "Know Your Rare Plants: Cliff Spurge (Euphorbia misera)". CNPSSD Chapter Blog. California Native Plant Society, San Diego Chapter. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
^ abcdKeil, David J.; Rosatti, Thomas J.; Mayfield, Mark H.; Koutnik, Daryl (2013). "Euphorbia misera". Jepson eFlora (1 ed.). Jepson Flora Project. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
^Simpson, Michael G. "Euphorbia misera". Plants of San Diego County, California. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
^"Euphorbia misera (Cliff Spurge)". World of Succulents. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment: Euphorbia misera
USDA Plants Profile: Euphorbia misera
Euphorbia misera — U.C. Photo gallery
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Euphorbia misera.
May 05, 2023
euphorbia, misera, semi, succulent, shrub, genus, euphorbia, commonly, known, cliff, spurge, coast, spurge, drought, deciduous, shrub, typically, found, gnarled, straggly, plant, occupying, seashore, bluffs, hills, deserts, like, other, members, genus, milky, . Euphorbia misera is a semi succulent shrub in the genus Euphorbia commonly known as the cliff spurge or coast spurge 3 A drought deciduous shrub it is typically found as a gnarled straggly plant occupying seashore bluffs hills and deserts Like other members of its genus it has a milky sap which can be found exuding out of the light gray bark when damaged The alternately arranged leaves are round and folded in the middle with small hairs on them The flowers actually an inflorescence called a cyathium can be found blooming year round and are colored maroon or yellow in the center with 5 white to light yellow petal like appendages attached outside This species is native to the Baja California peninsula and Sonora in Mexico 4 and the coast of southern California in the United States where it is a rare species It is threatened in some localities by the development of its coastal habitat which tends to be prime locations for high end residential and commercial developments 5 Euphorbia miseraConservation statusSecure NatureServe 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade RosidsOrder MalpighialesFamily EuphorbiaceaeGenus EuphorbiaSpecies E miseraBinomial nameEuphorbia miseraBenth Synonyms 2 Euphorbia benedicta Greene Trichosterigma benedictum Greene Millsp Trichosterigma miserum Benth Klotzsch amp Garcke Contents 1 Description 1 1 Morphology 2 Taxonomy 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDescription EditEuphorbia misera is a drought deciduous shrub standing erect or mounding An acrid milky sap is exuded when the leaves or branches are ruptured or cut 5 It has small rounded hairy leaves and inflorescences at the tips of the branches The distinctive flower has a central nectar disc with a bright red appendage with scalloped edges and a light yellow fringe The fruit is a spherical capsule with lobes containing round wrinkled gray seeds 6 Morphology Edit The majority of the plant is covered in very fine hairs except for the stems The stems are soft and rubbery 5 covered in a light gray bark stout and often gnarled The stems may reach 5 10 decimetres 1 6 3 3 ft in length The branches are semi succulent and flexible The pubescent leaves are petioled on short lateral spurs placed in a lateral arrangement 4 The leaf is 0 4 1 5 centimetres 0 16 0 59 in long shaped ovate to round and more or less folded with entire margins The base of the leaf is obtuse to rounded and the tip is rounded The stipules are thread like and fringed 6 The inflorescence is a cyathium a structure that looks similar to a traditional flower with usually a single cyathia at a branch tip or sometimes in the distal axils The involucre is 2 3 millimetres 0 079 0 118 in long and bell shaped There are 5 glands on the cyathium colored a maroon to yellow The glands are 1 5 2 millimetres 0 059 0 079 in long transversely oblong or elliptic Attached to the glands are white to light yellow petal like appendages These appendages may be narrower than to wider than the gland and are scalloped or irregularly cut There are 30 to 40 staminate flowers The fruits are 4 5 millimetres 0 16 0 20 in long shaped spheric and lobed and are densely puberulent or becoming glabrous hairless The seeds are 2 5 3 millimetres 0 098 0 118 in long ovoid and round in cross section The seeds are colored white to gray and tend to be wrinkled 4 6 Taxonomy EditThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it March 2022 This species was described by George Bentham in 1844 based on the botanical science from the explorations of the H M S Sulphur The name misera is Latin for poor or wretched 7 which might refer to the appearance of the plant without its leaves 8 This species is related to the similar looking Euphorbia californica 4 Distribution and habitat Edit Euphorbia misera growing at Cabrillo National Monument with the San Diego Bay in the background This species is distributed across the Baja California peninsula the states of Baja California Baja California Sur and parts of Sonora in Mexico and the coast of southern California in the United States On the Baja California peninsula this species is a common and widespread shrub found from the vicinity of Tijuana in northwest Baja California south to the southern Sierra de la Giganta in Baja California Sur along with adjacent Pacific and Gulf of California islands Plants found on the San Benito Islands have sometimes been regarded as their own species Euphorbia benedicta based on their larger gland appendages and seeds 3 In Sonora this species is found on the Gulf coast In California this species can be found on coastal bluffs and mesas from Corona Del Mar in Orange County to the international border in San Diego County along with Santa Cruz Santa Catalina and San Clemente islands A disjunct population is found in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County 5 This species is found growing on rocky slopes and soils vertical cliff faces and coastal bluffs 6 It is an abundant resident of coastal succulent scrub habitat present in coastal California and Baja California 4 Habitats vary from bluff margins and coastal mesas to outright desert 5 Gallery Edit Cyanthia growing out of axils with the foliage and characteristic gnarled gray stems The developing fruit note the small hairs The inflorescences and folded leaves Cyanthia with developing fruits and foliage The semi succulent stems and gray barkSee also EditFlora of the maritime succulent scrub Cneoridium dumosum Agave shawii Ceanothus verrucosusReferences Edit Euphorbia misera NatureServe Explorer Arlington Virginia NatureServe 2022 Retrieved 17 March 2022 Euphorbia misera Plants of the World Online Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Retrieved 19 March 2022 a b Rebman J P Gibson J Rich K 2016 Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Baja California Mexico PDF San Diego Society of Natural History 45 144 a b c d e Rebman Jon P Roberts Norman C 2012 Baja California Plant Field Guide San Diego Sunbelt Publications p 237 ISBN 978 0 916251 18 5 a b c d e Roberts Fred 5 September 2021 Know Your Rare Plants Cliff Spurge Euphorbia misera CNPSSD Chapter Blog California Native Plant Society San Diego Chapter Retrieved 17 March 2022 a b c d Keil David J Rosatti Thomas J Mayfield Mark H Koutnik Daryl 2013 Euphorbia misera Jepson eFlora 1 ed Jepson Flora Project Retrieved 17 March 2022 Simpson Michael G Euphorbia misera Plants of San Diego County California Retrieved 19 March 2022 Euphorbia misera Cliff Spurge World of Succulents 22 June 2020 Retrieved 19 March 2022 External links EditJepson Manual Treatment Euphorbia misera USDA Plants Profile Euphorbia misera Euphorbia misera U C Photo gallery Wikimedia Commons has media related to Euphorbia misera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Euphorbia misera amp oldid 1090232811, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
