Snake-eyes [Greek phaulos, paltry, uncomely, ill to handle, and thamnos, shrub]

Shrubs, diffusely branched; branches spreading, spinescent. Bark grayish, smooth, glabrous. Leaves deciduous [persistent], alternate or clustered at nodes; blade spatulate to oblanceolate, apex rounded to somewhat retuse and mucronate, narrowed into petiole or sessile. Inflorescences racemose or flowers solitary; bracteate. Flowers 1-12; tepals persistent, suborbicular to obovate, concave, margins scarious. Staminate flowers: stamens 12-14; filaments ± 1.5 mm; anthers ± 1.8 mm. Pistillate flowers: stigmas ± 2 mm, papillose. Berries transparent, globose, slightly compressed, thin-coriaceous, juicy.

Species 1: Texas, n Mexico.

Lower Taxon

• Phaulothamnus spinescens A. Gray