Habit is indeed a variable characteristic and I often see species that are ordinarily upright spread out from the base (especially when damaged). Prostrate species can also grow upright in shade or dense competition with other plants. However, due to the cyathium clustering, this isn't E. pycnostegia nor any of the sect. Elegantes as the members of sect. Elegantes all have solitary cyathia in the leaf axils. The presence of hairs also indicate a taxon other than zornioides, which is glabrous.
The plant is probably closely related to E. indica or may even be an odd form of that species. However, I would need to do more research to be confident in any species-level ID. Photographs of the seeds would be very helpful in determining the species. Best, Nathan Taylor On Fri, Sep 17, 2021 at 2:43 AM J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: > Forwarding again for Id confirmation or otherwise please. > > Some earlier relevant feedback: > This appears to be *E. pycnostegia* Boiss. var.* zornioides* (Boiss.) > Santapau, endemic to C.& Pen. India. > > N.P.Balakrishnan > Thank you so much for identifying this. But I have few doubts. > The description given by Fr. Santapau on *E.pycnostegia var.zorniodes* in > Flora of Khandala is as follows: > "Very similar to* E.pycnostegia* from which it is separated by smooth, > non-tuberculate seeds. Leaves are opposite, but branches quite often are > only produced in the axil of one of them; size of leaves upto 55x17 mm " > I had seen E.pycnostegia in field last year and it was an erect, stout 1 - > 2 feet high plant. > While the plant in question is prostrate, small and spreading.I > BSI Flora of Maharashtra has not included this *var.zorniodes* instead > mentions E.zorniodes as a different species. > But the features given under this doesnt seem to match with my plant. > best regards > > Adittya Dharap > I can quiet understand your concerns on the identity of the species. It is > necessary to have broader look at each species. > Herbaceous Euphorbia species growing in wet habitats, particularly the > pycnostegia complex is very variable, depending on the ecological > conditions, where they grow. Hence we cannot fix hard and fast parameters > on their morphology. Each author describes them in different ways depending > on their ecological environment. It is nor advisable to describe each as a > separate variety, which would add only confusion and chaos; one has to take > a broad outlook on the phenotypic plasticity to each species. Only a > monographer, who has studied a large number of herbarium specimens from > various localities can give a broad all-encompassing description. > N.P. Balakrishnan > > 11 Apr. 2014 > > > > ---------- Forwarded message --------- > From: Adittya Dharap <[email protected]> > Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 at 15:03 > Subject: [efloraofindia:185942] Euphorbiaceae Herb for ID: AVD 09042014 > To: efloraofindia <[email protected]> > > > Please help me identifying the Euphorbiaceae herb - Euphorbia sp. attached > herewith. > > Habit: Herb, prostrate > Habitat: Road side waste land > > Leaves: 1 to 1.5 cm, Elliptic - oblong, glabrous, rounded tip, minutely > serrated to crenulate, petiole - 2 mm > Entire plant very leafy, glabrous. > > Currently in flowering. Image taken on 9th April 2014 > > > best regards > > Adittya Dharap > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "efloraofindia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > -- > With regards, > J.M.Garg > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/indiantreepix/CAPj12xO5zXQUB8wVY4dU5NKRy_u18BZUP96x-UBS3NV7F9420A%40mail.gmail.com.
