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(Last Modified On 3/20/2013)
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(Last Modified On 3/20/2013)
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Genus
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Poinsettia Graham
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PlaceOfPublication
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Edinb. New Philos-. Jour. 20: 412, 1836.
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Synonym
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Euphorbia sect. Poinsettia (Graham) Baillon, 1ttude generale du groupe des Euphorbiacees 284, 1858.
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Description
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Herbs, annual or perennating, or shrubs, milky latex in all parts; monoecious. Leaves opposite or alternate; petiolate; stipules absent or minute; blades expanded, green, those subtending the inflorescences ("floral bracts") red, purple, or white in some species. Inflorescence a cyathium, these in terminal condensed dichasia or pleiochasia; lobes 5, the involucral glands cup-like, exappendiculate, usually one but rarely up to 5 in central cyathia. Staminate flowers few to many; naked; monandrous; pollen grains subglobose, usually tectate, 3-colporate. Pistillate flower terminal, solitary; naked; ovary 3-celled, each with a single ovule, the styles 3, joined at base, bifid for most of length. Fruit a capsule dehiscent at sutures; seed ovoid, somewhat angled, surface variously sculptured, the caruncle small or absent.
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Habit
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Herbs
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Note
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A New World genus of about 12 species, probably centered in Mexico. Two of the weedy species are found wild in Panama and a third, P. pulcherrima (Graham) Willd., is widely cultivated for its showy bracts. This species, "Poinset- tia" of the florist trade and "for de Pascua" in most of Latin America, is a large shrub with brilliant red, pink or white leaves subtending the inflorescence, and with cyathia 5 mm or more in diameter. It may well be naturalized in the Re- public.
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Reference
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Dressler, R. L., A synopsis of Poinsettia (Euphorbiaceae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 48: 329-341, 1962.
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Key
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a. Cyathial gland with a circular opening; floral bracts green or purple spotted but never red at the base; seed angular ........................... 1. P. heterophylla aa. Cyathial gland bilabiate; floral bracts green or red at base; seed not strongly angled . .-...... 2. P. cyathophora
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