Euphorbia exserta (Small) Coker. Maroon Sandhills Spurge, Coastal Sand Spurge. Phen: Mar-Jun. Hab: Longleaf pine sandhills, especially in loamier and slightly moister sites. Dist: Sc. NC south to c. peninsular and e. Panhandle FL; disjunct in se. VA (Sussex County) (Belden et al. 2004)

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: The leaves are extremely variable in size and shape, from linear to rotund. Park (1998) recognized E. exserta and E. gracilior as distinct from one another, differing in the involucre (purple in E. exserta and green in E. gracilior) and the appendages (rudimentary and purple in E. exserta and semicircular and white in E. gracilior). If separated, E. exserta is perhaps either an extinct species or possibly just a rare hybrid.

Synonymy: = Fl2, FNA12, K1, K3, Va, WH3, Govaerts, Frodin, & Radcliffe-Smith (2000), Huft (1979); = Euphorbia gracilior Cronquist – RAB; = n/a – C; > Euphorbia exserta (Small) Coker – Park (1998); > Euphorbia gracilior Cronquist – Park (1998); > Tithymalopsis exserta Small – S, S13; > Tithymalopsis gracilis (Boiss.) Small – S, S13

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Heliophily: 9