Texas Gardening: Texas Native Plant Pictures by color ( Red ), 1 by htop

htop wrote:
Shrubby Copperleaf, 3-Seeded Mercury (Acalypha phleoides), Euphorbiaceae Family, Texas natitve, perennial, blooms April through November

County distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefip...

Shrubby copperleaf is a trailing plant that can found growing natively in shaded limestone outcrops in wooded canyons and deep, dry creek and river gravel bars. It is frequently located in oak, juniper and pinyon woodlands. When I first saw this plant, I thought it was a rouge plant; however, on closer inspection, I determined that the flower spikes were quite different. Distinguishing it from other Acalypha are the staminate flowers at the tip of the inflorescences. The rose to reddish colored male flowers have conspicuous yellow anthers and the female flowers which are beneath the male flowers have leafy bracts under each flower. The total length of the flower spike is about 2" or 3". Seed capsules are formed above the bracts and contain 3 seeds which are especially liked by house sparrows. The plant is used as a medicinal herb in Mexico. The aerial parts of Acalypha phleoides are prescribed for a variety of gastrointestinal problems. It contains an antispasmodic agent.

This is another plant about which I only am able to locate a tad of information.

For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/77600/index.html

The male flowers are just beginning to form at the top of the spike. The female flowers are at the bottom of the spike, have threadlike styles and have bracts below them ...


This message was edited Dec 5, 2006 3:32 AM