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Overview

Comprehensive Description

Description

Erect annual, up to 60 cm.
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© Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings

Source: Flora of Zimbabwe

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Derivation of specific name

heterophylla: with differently-shaped leaves (see note above)
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Source: Flora of Zimbabwe

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Distribution

Distribution in Egypt

Nile and Mediterranean regions, oases.

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Global Distribution

Pantropical weed, originating from central America.

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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Euphorbia taiwaniana S.S. Ying:
Taiwan (Asia)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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© Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA

Source: Missouri Botanical Garden

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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Euphorbia prunifolia Jacq.:
Bolivia (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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© Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA

Source: Missouri Botanical Garden

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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Euphorbia heterophylla var. heterophylla :
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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© Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA

Source: Missouri Botanical Garden

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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Poinsettia geniculata (Ortega) Small:
United States (North America)
South Africa (Africa & Madagascar)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
  • Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. Welman, E. Reitief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. v. Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).   http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1371 External link.
  • Small, J. K. 1933. Man. S.E. Fl. i–xxii, 1–1554. Published by the Author, New York.   http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1515 External link.
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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Euphorbia pandurata Huber:
Madagascar (Africa & Madagascar)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Poinsettia heterophylla (L.) Klotzsch & Garcke:
United States (North America)
Peru (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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Source: Missouri Botanical Garden

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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Euphorbia morisoniana Klotzsch:
Panama (Mesoamerica)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Euphorbia geniculata Ortega:
Bolivia (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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© Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA

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Localities documented in Tropicos sources

Euphorbia heterophylla L.:
Argentina (South America)
Belize (Mesoamerica)
Bolivia (South America)
Brazil (South America)
Costa Rica (Mesoamerica)
Ecuador (South America)
El Salvador (Mesoamerica)
French Guiana (South America)
Gabon (Africa & Madagascar)
Guatemala (Mesoamerica)
Guyana (South America)
Honduras (Mesoamerica)
India (Asia)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
Madagascar (Africa & Madagascar)
Panama (Mesoamerica)
Peru (South America)
Paraguay (South America)
Suriname (South America)
United States (North America)
Venezuela (South America)
Caribbean (Caribbean)
South Africa (Africa & Madagascar)
China (Asia)
Colombia (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
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© Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA

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Worldwide distribution

Pantropical weed, originating from Central America.
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© Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings

Source: Flora of Zimbabwe

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National Distribution

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

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Global Range: WI, to SD, south to FL and AZ, and tropical America.

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Native of central America, now a pantropical weed.
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Physical Description

Morphology

Description

Herbs, annual, erect to 1 m tall, often tinged red. Stem glabrous to sparsely pilose at apex, hollow. Leaves alternate; stipules purplish glands, fairly conspicuous; petiole to 2(-4) cm; leaf blade ovate, to 12 × 6 cm, abaxially pilose especially on midrib and veins, glabrescent, adaxially glabrous to sparsely pilose near margin, base cuneate, margin with minute distant gland-tipped teeth, apex obtuse. Cymes terminal and axillary, each forking ca. 5 times, cyathia densely clustered; basal bracts similar to leaves but paler green, progressively smaller. Cyathia ca. 3.5 × 2.5 mm; involucre barrel-shaped, glabrous; gland ca. 1 mm, funnel-shaped, opening circular, ca. 1.2 mm across, often red-rimmed; lobes ca. 1.3 mm, subcircular, deeply toothed with minutely ciliate margins. Male flowers: bracteoles few, ligulate, feathery; stamens ca. 4 mm. Female flower: ovary pedicellate, glabrous or occasionally minutely puberulent, perianth forming an obvious rim; styles ca. 1 mm, occasionally minutely puberulent, bifid to halfway. Fruiting pedicel reflexed to 6 mm; capsule exserted, ca. 4.5 × 5.5 mm, deeply 3-lobed. Seeds conical, ca. 2.6 × 2.4 mm, apex acute, bluntly warty, blackish brown.
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Elevation Range

760-1100 m
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Diagnostic Description

Synonym

Euphorbia epilobiifolia W. T. Wang; E. geniculata OrtE. taiwaniana S. S. Ying; Poinsettia geniculata (Ortega) Klotzsch & Garcke var. heterophylla (Linnaeus) Klotzsch & Garcke.
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Ecology

Habitat

Weed of cultivation, naturalized.

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Comments: Alluvial soils, thickets, open or rocky woods, glades and among railroads, often in shade.

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Habitat & Distribution

Weed of cultivation and other disturbed areas. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [native to America, now pantropical].
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Population Biology

Frequency

Common
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Source: Flora of Zimbabwe

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Life History and Behavior

Life Expectancy

Annual.

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Conservation

Conservation Status

National NatureServe Conservation Status

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

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NatureServe Conservation Status

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

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Wikipedia

Euphorbia heterophylla

Euphorbia heterophylla, also known under the common names of (Mexican) fireplant, painted euphorbia, desert poinsettia, wild poinsettia, fire on the mountain, paint leaf and kaliko plant, is a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family. This plant has many synonyms; one of the most common is Euphorbia cyathophora.

Contents

Distribution

It is a native plant of Mexico, and its original distribution includes an area spreading from California to east Texas and to much of Central America.

This plant has spread to South and Southeast Asia, having become a weed in India and Thailand, where it has invaded cotton fields and other agricultural terrain. In Thailand, it is called "ลูกเขยตายแม่ยายทำศพ" (RTGS: Luk Khoei Tai Mae Yai Tham Sop), which literally means 'The funeral of a son-in-law is the responsibility of the mother-in-law".[1]

Introduced for ornamental purposes, it quickly spreads, becoming a common sight by the side of the roads and rural pathways.

Description

Water droplets on Euphorbia heterophylla

It is a hardy, ruderal species, growing between 30 and 70 cm in height. The leaves at the upper end of the stalk, close to the cyathium, have a striking, scarlet red coloration.[2] Leaves are mainly 2-4 lobed and 4–7 cm long by 1.5–3 cm wide. Their contrast with the lower dark green leaves gives this euphorbia most of its common names.

The stalk exudes a toxic milky white latex. The cyathia or false flowers, are located in clusters at the head of the stalk and are yellowish green. They have no petals, the red color being part of the young leaves' coloration. The fruits are small, segmented capsules.

This plant often loses its coloration when it grows wild as a weed. It is resistant to herbicide.[3]

Toxicity

Toxicity is documented in most members of the genus Euphorbia. Individuals sensitive to latex are known to have strong reactions, including dermatitis and anaphylaxis, to the latex exuded by this plant.

References

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