Euphorbia ouachitana, commonly called Ouachita spurge,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It is native eastern to North America, where its range is restricted to the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains, with disjunct populations east in the Nashville Basin.[2] Its typical natural habitat is semi-open forests and woodlands, usually associated with thin soils underlain by shale or limestone.[2][3]

Euphorbia ouachitana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Species:
E. ouachitana
Binomial name
Euphorbia ouachitana
M.H. Mayfield

Before it was described as a separate species in 2013, it was typically considered to be the same species as Euphorbia commutata.[3] Distinguishing characters of Euphorbia ouachitana include its annual habit, fused dichasial bracts, and red-brown seeds with pits distributed in rows.[2][3]

Euphorbia ouachitana is an annual herb, growing from around 12–28 cm tall. It flowers and fruits in the spring.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Euphorbia ouachitana". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  2. ^ a b c Mayfield, Mark (10 December 2013). "Four new annual species of Euphorbia section Tithymalus from North America". Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. 7 (2): 633–647. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Euphorbia ouachitana Flora of North America