Euphorbia heterophylla L.

Mexican Fireplant; Painted Leaf; Wild Poinsettia

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Painted Leaf is an introduced annual plant in the Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Its exact native range in tropical and subtropical parts of the New World is not well known, but extends from Mexico through Central and South America. Painted Leaf can be found throughout Alabama, but is most common in the southern third of the state. Painted Leaf grows on roadsides, along railroad tracks, in row crops, and in other open disturbed sites. It is an annual from a tap root. Stems are erect, branched, green in color, sparsely pubescent, and one to three feet in height. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, narrowly lanceolate to elliptic, obovate or pandurate in outline, pubescent, with margins sparsely glandular-serrulate. The leaves are extremely variable, even on the same plant. The sap is a milky latex that dries when exposed to the air, sealing wounds. The flowers are extremely reduced, lacking petals and sepals, and are produced in a terminal inflorescence known as a cyathium. This consists of a cup-like receptacle with 2-3 female flowers, 8-15 male flowers, and one nectar gland. The gland is stalked with a round opening and a distinct annular rim. The cyanthium is surrounded by green (sometimes paler green at base) modified leaves known as bracts. The fruit is a three lobed capsule.—A. Diamond

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Native

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