Scientific Family
Euphorbiaceae
Synonyms
Euphorbia alta, Euphorbia arkansana, Euphorbia dictyosperma, Euphorbia obtusata, Galarhoeus arkansanus, Galarhoeus obtusatus
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual or perennial
Height
To 18 inches
Riparian
No
The plant usually consists of a single stem from the ground up to the branching flower stems.
Terminal inflorescence in mature plants is 1/4 the total length of the plant or more; capsules warty.
Habitat
Dry, open, generally disturbed places.
Plant Community
Disturbed Areas
Grasslands
Interior Chaparral
Montane Conifer Forest
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Low elevation
1500
High elevation
7500
Flower Characteristics
What appears to be a flower is instead a cyathium, a cup-like structure that houses a central pistillate flower surrounded by several staminate flowers. The yellow horned structures are not true petals but merely extensions of the cyathium.
Flower color
Yellow, green
Flower shape
Other
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
April
Flower clusters
Other
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaf margins are minutely serrate. Stem leaves are alternate to 1-1/2 inches long; floral leaves are opposite and clasping.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaves clasp
Yes
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Capsules are less than 1/8 inch long. The surface bears warty nodules.
Fruit type
Capsule
Seeds are about 1/16 inch long, brown, spherical, bearing fine nodules.