Kentucky Plant Atlas




Waif    No county information
«previous» Taxon rank is 1030 «next»
Euphorbiaceae <Euphorbioideae> Chamaesyce [Euphorbia* <Anisophyllum>] hirta
Chamaesyce hirta (L.) Mill.
ALI: S HAB: n/a, n/a, n/a, n/a ABU: n/a, n/a, 0
This pantropical weed is sometimes associated with greenhouses and other horticultural operations at the northern edge of its range (W). A few plants were discovered by JC and R. Thompson (BEREA) during 2016 by the parking lot of a retail florist in SHEL. The species is generally unknown inland from the southeastern Coastal Plain and Piedmont (W). E. hirta (sometimes named "asthma weed") has had diverse ancient medicinal uses; its chemistry includes alkanes, triterpenes, phytosterols, tannins, polyphenols and flavanoids (Kumar et al. 2010). C. hirta differs from other species with pubescent ovaries and capsules (prostrata, humistrata, maculata) as follows (FNA 12, W): stems with 2 types of trichomes, the longer 3-5 mm long (versus only ca. 1-2 mm); cyathia in axillary and terminal cymes (versus solitary or several in axils), at least some of the peduncles >10 mm long (versus all <5 mm).