Euphorbia telephioides
Encyclopedia
Euphorbia telephioides is a rare species of euphorb known by the common name Telephus spurge. It is endemic to Florida
in the United States, where it is known only from three counties in the Panhandle
. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
This spurge grows in coastal areas in Bay
, Gulf
, and Franklin Counties
in Florida. It is present at about 38 known locations, with some locations newly discovered and some recently extirpated
. The habitat is scrub and forest where it often grows alongside slash (Pinus elliottii) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) or oak
s. Much of the area is flatwoods
habitat. The soil is sandy. The plant can be common to abundant at many locations, but it is short-lived and can disappear from an area quickly.
This is a perennial herb growing up to 30 or 40 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves are lance-shaped to oval and green to red in color, measuring up to 6 centimeters long. They are fleshy and succulent, and the roots are tuber
ous, helping the plant survive in dry seasons and in sandy soils that retain little water. The species is dioecious
, with female plants bearing wider leaves and few flowers and male plants having narrower leaves and many clusters of flowers. The flower is a maroon or red and green cyathium
. The fruit is explosively dehiscent
, releasing silver, gray, or brown seeds.
This plant is now found in habitat that is fragmented
as the region undergoes development. This part of the Gulf Coast is valuable for conversion to residential communities, and with construction of houses comes construction of roads, utilities, and commercial tracts. Other parts of the region have been consumed for silviculture
, particularly pine plantations. The area was formerly a center of pulp wood
production.
Fire suppression is practiced in plantations and in remaining strips of natural habitat. Flatwoods and other local landscapes have historically been maintained by frequent periodic wildfire
, which clears large, dense, tall, and woody vegetation and leaf litter. This allows the spurge and many other smaller plant species of the understory
to receive sunlight. The spurge does not tolerate shade or increased ground cover. Its abundance is negatively correlated with the density of the flatwoods. Fire also keeps certain invasive species
under control, such as titi
(Cyrilla racemiflora).
Controlled burn
s are performed in some areas, and they have a positive effect on this species. It also persists in areas of disturbance in the habitat, such as roadsides.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in the United States, where it is known only from three counties in the Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
This spurge grows in coastal areas in Bay
Bay County, Florida
Bay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 163,505 . Its county seat is Panama City, Florida. The county is best known for its white sand beaches and crystal blue water, where large pods of dolphins swim year-round...
, Gulf
Gulf County, Florida
Gulf County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 13,332. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 13,975 . Its county seat is Port St. Joe.- History :...
, and Franklin Counties
Franklin County, Florida
Franklin County is a coastal county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 11,057. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 11,177...
in Florida. It is present at about 38 known locations, with some locations newly discovered and some recently extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
. The habitat is scrub and forest where it often grows alongside slash (Pinus elliottii) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) or oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s. Much of the area is flatwoods
Flatwoods
Flatwoods, Pineywoods, Longleaf Pine-Wiregrass Ecosystem refers to an ecological community in the Southeastern coastal plain of North America...
habitat. The soil is sandy. The plant can be common to abundant at many locations, but it is short-lived and can disappear from an area quickly.
This is a perennial herb growing up to 30 or 40 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves are lance-shaped to oval and green to red in color, measuring up to 6 centimeters long. They are fleshy and succulent, and the roots are tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
ous, helping the plant survive in dry seasons and in sandy soils that retain little water. The species is dioecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, with female plants bearing wider leaves and few flowers and male plants having narrower leaves and many clusters of flowers. The flower is a maroon or red and green cyathium
Cyathium
A cyathium is one of the specialised pseudanthia forming the inflorescence of plants in the genus Euphorbia . A cyathium consists of:...
. The fruit is explosively dehiscent
Dehiscence (botany)
Dehiscence is the opening, at maturity, in a pre-defined way, of a plant structure, such as a fruit, anther, or sporangium, to release its contents. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part. Structures that open in this way are said to be dehiscent...
, releasing silver, gray, or brown seeds.
This plant is now found in habitat that is fragmented
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
as the region undergoes development. This part of the Gulf Coast is valuable for conversion to residential communities, and with construction of houses comes construction of roads, utilities, and commercial tracts. Other parts of the region have been consumed for silviculture
Silviculture
Silviculture is the practice of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet diverse needs and values. The name comes from the Latin silvi- + culture...
, particularly pine plantations. The area was formerly a center of pulp wood
Pulp (paper)
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...
production.
Fire suppression is practiced in plantations and in remaining strips of natural habitat. Flatwoods and other local landscapes have historically been maintained by frequent periodic wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
, which clears large, dense, tall, and woody vegetation and leaf litter. This allows the spurge and many other smaller plant species of the understory
Understory
Understory is the term for the area of a forest which grows at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory consist of a mixture of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and herbs...
to receive sunlight. The spurge does not tolerate shade or increased ground cover. Its abundance is negatively correlated with the density of the flatwoods. Fire also keeps certain invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
under control, such as titi
Cyrilla
Cyrilla racemiflora, the sole species in the genus Cyrilla, is a flowering plant in the family Cyrillaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas, from the southeastern United States , south through the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America to northern Brazil and...
(Cyrilla racemiflora).
Controlled burn
Controlled burn
Controlled or prescribed burning, also known as hazard reduction burning or Swailing is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for...
s are performed in some areas, and they have a positive effect on this species. It also persists in areas of disturbance in the habitat, such as roadsides.