Vasey’s wild lime Vasey’s wild lime

Euphorbia vaseyi J. M. Coulter, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 1: 48. 1890

Shrubs, 1–2(–3) m; bark gray to brown, branches usually ascending. Leaves: petiole 0.2 cm; blade pale green, spatulate to obovate, 2–3(–4) × 0.5–1 cm, base cuneate, apex usually rounded, rarely emarginate, surfaces glabrous; 3-veined at base, secondary veins 4–7 pairs. Inflorescences 1–3-flowered. Pedicels: staminate 2 mm, pistillate 3–5 mm in flower to 20 mm in fruit. Staminate flowers greenish white; sepals lanceolate, acute, 2 mm, hairy; stamens whitish; filaments 1.5 mm; pistillode 3-parted. Pistillate flowers yellowish green; sepals reflexed at anthesis, ovate to lanceolate, acute, 2–-3 mm, puberulent; ovary 1.5–2.5 mm diam.; styles 2 mm. Capsules subglobose, 1–-1.3 cm diam., hairy. Seeds 4–-5 mm.

Flowering Jan–Jun, fruiting Jun. Subtropical semideciduous woodlands on loamy soils, occasionally shrublands on sandy to gravelly soils; 10–100 m; Tex.; Mexico (Tamaulipas).

In the flora area, Adelia vaseyi is restricted to the lower Rio Grande Valley (Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties), where much of its habitat has been destroyed.