Telephus spurge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Telephus spurge |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Euphorbia
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| Species: |
telephioides
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The Euphorbia telephioides is a special and rare plant often called the Telephus spurge. It is a type of Euphorbia plant. This plant only grows in one place in the world: Florida in the United States. It is found in just three counties in the Florida Panhandle. Because it is so rare, the United States government has listed it as a threatened species.
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Where the Telephus Spurge Lives
This unique spurge plant grows along the coast in Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties in Florida. Scientists know about 38 places where it grows. Some new places have been found, but sadly, the plant has disappeared from some other spots.
It likes to live in scrub areas and forests. You can often find it growing near slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) trees, or near oak trees. Much of its home is a type of flat, sandy forest called flatwoods. The soil there is very sandy. Even though the plant can be common in some areas, it does not live very long. This means it can quickly disappear from a spot.
What the Telephus Spurge Looks Like
The Telephus spurge is a plant that comes back every year. It can grow up to 30 or 40 centimeters tall, which is about the length of a ruler. Its leaves are shaped like a spear or an oval. They can be green or red and grow up to 6 centimeters long.
The leaves are thick and juicy, like a succulent plant. Its roots are also special; they are like small tubers. These roots help the plant store water, which is important for surviving dry times and living in sandy soil that does not hold much water.
How the Telephus Spurge Reproduces
This plant has separate male and female plants. Female plants usually have wider leaves and fewer flowers. Male plants have narrower leaves and many groups of flowers. The flowers are a mix of maroon, red, and green colors. When the plant makes seeds, they are released in a burst, like a small explosion! The seeds can be silver, gray, or brown.
Why the Telephus Spurge is in Danger
The places where this plant lives are becoming broken up. This is happening because people are building more homes and businesses along the Gulf Coast. When new houses are built, roads and other things like shops also appear. This takes away the plant's natural home.
Some areas have also been used for growing pine trees to make wood pulp. This means the natural forests are replaced with tree farms.
The Importance of Fire
Normally, flatwoods and other areas where the spurge lives need fires often. These natural wildfires clear out big, thick plants and dead leaves on the ground. This helps smaller plants like the Telephus spurge get enough sunlight. The spurge does not like shade or too much plant cover on the ground. The more dense the flatwoods are, the less spurge you will find. Fires also help control plants that are not native to the area, like titi (Cyrilla racemiflora).
Sometimes, people do controlled burns in these areas. This means they carefully set small fires on purpose. These controlled fires are good for the Telephus spurge. The plant can also survive in places where the habitat is disturbed, like along roadsides.
