return to: checklist; keys; family Euphorbiaceae
Shrub
with soft, weak, woody stems; stems and leaves beset with large
spine-like stinging hairs (CAUTION!); leaves alternate, deeply
palmately lobed, the lobes also lobed; several finger-like glands
present at the petiole-blade junction; inflorescence cymose, axillary,
held above the uppermost leaves; flowers unisexual (plants monoecious);
pistillate flowers at the lower cyme branches opening first (protogynous),
staminate flowers on subsequent and ultimate cyme branches; flowers
white; ovary and immature fruit with longitudinal stripes; fruit
an explosively dehiscent capsule.
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