Shrubs, to 2 m, dioecious. Stems spreading, yellow to yellow-brown [gray], much-branched, woody-succulent, glabrous; short shoots common; latex watery, yellow in young shoots, red in older shoots. Leaves deciduous, usually fascicled on short shoots; stipules absent; petiole 0(–0.2) cm, not stipitate-glandular; blade obovate-spatulate, 0.7–1.9 × 0.3–0.9 cm, unlobed (shallowly 3-lobed on active shoots), base attenuate, margins entire, apex usually rounded, sometimes emarginate, coriaceous, surfaces glabrous; venation pinnate (palmate if lobed). Inflorescences on short shoots, cymes or flowers solitary; peduncle 0.4–0.6 cm; bracts 0.4–1 mm, margins entire, glabrous. Pedicels 1–4(–6.5) mm. Staminate flowers: sepals connate basally, ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–4 × 0.6–1 mm, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces glabrous; corolla white, tubular-urceolate, petals connate most of length, 4–6 × 1.3–2 mm, surfaces glabrous; stamens 10 in 2 whorls (5 + 5); filaments of both whorls connate almost to top, outer whorl 1–2.5 mm, inner series 2.5–4 mm. Pistillate flowers resembling staminate, but sepals distinct, 1.5–3 × 0.5–1 mm; petals 4–4.5 × 1–1.5 mm; carpel 1; styles 0.5–1 mm. Capsules spheric, 0.9–1.1 × 0.9–1.1 cm, tardily dehiscent. Seeds solid dark to golden brown, spheric, 10 × 10 mm; caruncle absent. 2n = 44 (Mexico).
Home