Cnidoscolus stimulosus (Michaux) Engelmann & A. Gray. Common name: Spurge-nettle, Tread-softly, Finger-rot, Bull-nettle. Phenology: Late Mar-Aug; May-Sep. Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, dry sandy woodlands, other dry sandy soils. Distribution: Se. VA south to s. FL, west to e. LA, mostly on the Coastal Plain, but farther inland southward.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: Our species is allied to C. urens of Mexico, Central America, and n. South America, and is sometimes treated as a variety of it. Substantial variation in leaf shape, habitat and likely other characters suggest that several taxa may be currently subsumed here.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, Fl2, FNA12, G, K4, RAB, S13, Va, W, WH3, Maya-Lastra & Steinmann (2018), McVaugh (1944); = Bivonea stimulosa (Michx.) Raf. — S; = Cnidoscolus urens (L.) Arthur var. stimulosus (Michx.) Govaerts — Govaerts, Frodin, & Radcliffe-Smith (2000); Jatropha stimulosa Michaux — (basionym)
Links to other floras: = Cnidoscolus stimulosus - FNA12
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect to reclining perennial of sandhills, dry sandy woodlands and other sites with dry sandy soils.
Stems: Stems branched, covered in stinging hairs.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petiolate, round in overall outline, to 8 in. long, deeply palmately lobed, the 3-5 lobes entire to sharply toothed; with stinging hairs.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in loose, fork-branched, terminal clusters, with the central flower usually female and lateral flowers male; white, about 1 in. wide, consisting of 5 spreading, elliptic petal-like sepals (true petals absent) from a 1/2-in.-long tube.
Fruits: Fruit a spiny, 3-parted capsule.
Comments:
Height: 20-40 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect to reclining perennial of sandhills, dry sandy woodlands and other sites with dry sandy soils.
stems: Stems branched, covered in stinging hairs.
leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petiolate, round in overall outline, to 8 in. long, deeply palmately lobed, the 3-5 lobes entire to sharply toothed; with stinging hairs.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in loose, fork-branched, terminal clusters, with the central flower usually female and lateral flowers male; white, about 1 in. wide, consisting of 5 spreading, elliptic petal-like sepals (true petals absent) from a 1/2-in.-long tube.
fruits: Fruit a spiny, 3-parted capsule.
comments:
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