Tragia betonicifolia, commonly called betonyleaf noseburn,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It is native to North America, where it is primarily found in the South-Central region of the United States extending north into Kansas and Missouri, with disjunct populations east in Tennessee.[2] Its typical natural habitat is dry areas with sandy or rocky soil, in glades, prairies, bluffs, and dry woodlands.[3][4]
| Tragia betonicifolia | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Tragia |
| Species: | T. betonicifolia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Tragia betonicifolia | |
Tragia betonicifolia is a perennial herb or subshrub. Its leaves are triangular-lanceolate, truncate to cordate at the base, with an acute tip. Its petioles are around 10–40 mm. It produces small yellow flowers from late spring through summer. Tragia betonicifolia can be distinguished from the similar looking Tragia urticifolia by its shorter pedicels on staminate flowers (with the persistent base only reaching 0.6 mm), and its more distally clustered flowers in the raceme. In addition, Tragia betonicifolia typically has more branches from the base of the stem.[4]
Tragia betonicifolia has stinging hairs that are painful when touched.[5]
References edit
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Tragia betonicifolia". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Tragia betonicifolia". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ Yatskievych, George (2006). Flora of Missouri, Volume 2. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. p. 1056.
- ^ a b Tragia betonicifolia Flora of North America
- ^ Diggs, George; Lipscomb, Barney; O'Kennon, Robert (1999). Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute of Texas. p. 616.
