Limestone sandmat Limestone sandmat

Chamaesyce blodgettii (Engelmann ex Hitchcock) Small; C. nashii Small

Herbs, usually annual, occasionally perennial, with slender to slightly thickened taproot, 3.5 mm diam.. Stems prostrate to decumbent, loosely mat-forming, often rooting at nodes, 10–45 cm, glabrous. Leaves opposite; stipules distinct, subulate filiform segments (lower side), or connate forming conspicuous, broad deltate scale (upper side), toothed, 0.5–1 mm, glabrous; petiole 0.7–1 mm, glabrous; blade ovate to oblong-elliptic, 4–10 × 2–5 mm, base asymmetric, subcordate to rounded, margins usually entire, occasionally toothed, apex usually obtuse to rounded, occasionally acute to apiculate, surfaces without red blotch, glabrous; 3-veined from base, only midvein conspicuous. Cyathia solitary or in small, cymose clusters at distal nodes of stem or on congested, axillary branches; peduncle 0.4–0.6 mm. Involucre turbinate to campanulate, 0.5–0.6 × 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous; glands 4, red, slightly concave, elliptic-oblong, 0.1 × 0.1–0.3 mm; appendages white to pink, unequal, pair near sinus lunate to oblong, 0.1–0.2 × 0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin entire, crenulate, or irregularly sinuate, other pair sometimes rudimentary, 0–0.1 × 0.1–0.3 mm, distal margin crenulate or entire. Staminate flowers 8–12. Pistillate flowers: ovary glabrous; styles 0.3–0.4 mm, 2-fid 1/2 length. Capsules broadly ovoid, 1.2–1.7 × 1.4–1.9 mm, glabrous; columella 1.2–1.6 mm. Seeds gray to reddish brown, oblong-ovoid, 4-angled in cross section, 0.9–1.1 × 0.5–0.6 mm, flat or obscurely wrinkled.

Flowering and fruiting year-round. Coastal sand dunes and disturbed upland sandy areas; 0–20 m; Fla.

Euphorbia blodgettii is found only in peninsular Florida. It is closely related to E. garberi, E. porteriana, and E. serpens (Y. Yang and P. E. Berry 2011).