Fendler's sandmat (Sandmats (Euphorbia sect. Anisophyllum, previously Chamaesyce) of the Llano Estacado)

Fendler's sandmat

Euphorbia fendleri

Description ²

Plants small, glabrous, rhizomatous perennials, prostrate to weakly erect in shade; plants small, less than 10 cm tall and rarely more than 10 cm across; usually wider than tall. Stems slender, largest internodes less than 1 mm in diameter. Stipules united into a narrow appendage or divided, especially divided closer to cyathia. Leaves ovate to deltoid; thick and often slightly glaucous; margins entire; leaf bases significantly unequal; apex acute. Appendages usually absent or diminished, not longer than wide, lunate. Involucres usually green.

Habitat and Distribution ²

Common and widespread throughout the Llano (Turner et. al., 2003; SRSC) in various soil types. Particularly abundant in bare calcareous, gypsum soils, and stabilized sand. Does not grow well where soil is often disturbed.

Comments ²

This species and E. chaetocalyx occasionally have whorled leaves. All these specimens appear to be anomalies occurring sporadically and usually only at single nodes and not throughout the whole plant.

Euphorbia fendleri is very similar to E. chaetocalyx and requires some further study to differentiate between the two throughout the entire range of the two species. On the Llano, the two can easily be distinguished by the following characteristics:

Euphorbia fendleri: Habit prostrate, rarely ascending in shade, rhizomatous; leaves ovate, typically short lanceolate toward the apices of stems; appendages usually absent, if present, lunate.
Euphorbia chaetocalyx: Habit erect or ascending usually clumping; leaves linear-lanceolate at least toward the apices of stems; appendages present, triangular.

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