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Sonoran Desert Euphorbia

Many species of herbs, shrubs and small trees. Sap often milky or resinous. Leaves typically dark green and often turning red or purple with cold weather. Complex flower structure; frequently without true petals and with numerous small flowers grouped in an cub-shaped involucre.

Rattlesnake Weed	Chamaesyce albomarginata	Yuma Sandmat	Chamaesyce setiloba
Grows prostrate on ground. Copious white sap from broken stems. Involucre has petaloid appendages and surrounds a group of minute flowers. Seed capsule, like other euphorbs, is three parted. Detailed Description		Growing mostly in deep sandy soil. Appendages of minute involucres with narrow, pointed lobes. Copious white sap from broken stems. Detailed Description
Small-seed Sandmat	Euphorbia polycarpa	Red-gland Sand-mat	Euphorbia melanadenia
A frequent spurge of rocky slopes in the Sonoran Desert. Grows low or even prostrate on ground. Copious white sap from broken stems. Involucre and flowers are small as are the seed capsules. Detailed Description		Broad white limbs on the red glands of this mostly ground-hugging herb. Detailed Description
Head Sandmat	Chamaesyce capitellata	Arizona Sandmat	Euphorbia arizonica
The small flower heads are grouped into larger heads. Copious white sap from broken stems. Detailed Description		Prostrate perennial spurge of rocky slopes in the upland Sonoran Desert. Grows low or even prostrate on ground. Copious white sap from broken stems. Involucre and flowers are red with leaves reddening after cold temps. Detailed Description
Hyssop Spurge	Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
This species grows mostly upright and is a fairly common urban weed in the Sonoran Desert such as in Phoenix or Tucson. Copious white sap from broken stems. Detailed Description

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Spotted Sandmat	Chamaesyce maculata	Chiricahua Sandmat	Chamaesyce florida
Small annual of summer and fall with relatively large petal-like appendages. Grows upright and has linear leaves baring minute teeth. Detailed Description		Small annual of summer and fall with relatively large petal-like appendages. Grows upright and has linear leaves baring minute teeth. Detailed Description
White-margin Sand-mat	Chamaesyce albomarginata	Sonoran Sandmat	Chamaesyce micromera
Perennial herb with broad, bright white petal-like lobes. Blooming late spring or summer after good rains. Detailed Description		Warm season herb growing mostly flat along ground. Glands red or pink without petaloid appendages. Common in the Sonoran Desert, especially sandy areas. Detailed Description
Prostrate Spurge	Chamaesyce prostrata	Queen's-root	Stillingia linearifolia
Frequent weed of lawns and gravel beds, creeping along and rooting at nodes. Glands and appendages small. Fine teeth along margins of leaves. Detailed Description		Perennial sub-shrub with slender, woody stems and long, narrow leaves. Spikes of small, reddish-green flowers. Detailed Description

More Euphorbs on Page 1

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