Desert spurge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Euphorbia tannensis subsp. eremophila |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Euphorbia |
| Species: |
E. tannensis
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| Subspecies: |
E. t. subsp. eremophila
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| Trinomial name | |
| Euphorbia tannensis subsp. eremophila (A.Cunn.) D.C.Hassall
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Desert spurge, also known by its scientific name Euphorbia tannensis subsp. eremophila, is a type of plant that grows in Australia. It can be a small herb or a larger shrub.
What it Looks Like
This plant usually grows straight up, like a small bush. It can be about 1 meter (3 feet) tall, but sometimes it reaches 1.5 meters (5 feet). It has small green or yellow flowers. When you look at it from far away, it might seem like it doesn't have many leaves.
How it Got its Name
Scientists give plants special names to organize them. This plant's journey to its current name is interesting!
In 1848, a botanist named Allan Cunningham first described this plant. He called it Euphorbia eremophila, treating it as its own unique species.
Later, in 1977, another botanist named David Hassall studied the plant more closely. He decided that Euphorbia eremophila was actually a type of E. tannensis. So, he changed its rank from a full species to a variety.
At the same time, David Hassall also looked at another similar plant, E. finlaysonii. He realized that E. eremophila and E. finlaysonii were very closely related to each other. Because of this, he grouped them together under a new category called a subspecies. This new subspecies was named E. tannensis subsp. eremophila.
So, this subspecies actually includes two varieties:
Where it Grows
Desert spurge is found all over mainland Australia. You can see it in every mainland state, though it only grows in the very far northwest part of Victoria.
