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 - Euphorbia vermiculata
 
Euphorbia vermiculata — hairy sandmat
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Facts
A small prostrate plant with an unprepossessing common name, hairy sandmat is a native of roadsides, sandy fields and waste areas. It's stems are hairy with hairs up to 1.5 mm long.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (human-disturbed or -maintained habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
 - terrestrial
 
- New England state
 - 
                                
                                    
- Connecticut
 - Maine
 - Massachusetts
 - New Hampshire
 - Rhode Island
 - Vermont
 
 
- Flower petal color
 - NA
 
- Leaf type
 - the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Leaf arrangement
 - opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
 
- Leaf blade edges
 - the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
 
- Flower symmetry
 - 
                                
                                    
- NA
 - there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
 
 
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
 - there are no petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower, or they are not clearly present
 
- Fusion of sepals and petals
 - NA
 
- Stamen number
 - 1 or 2
 
- Fruit type (general)
 - 
                                
                                    
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
 - the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
 
 
- Fruit length
 - 1.5–2 mm
 
- 
                        
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
 - the plant does not appear to have bulbils
 
- Bulblets replace flowers
 - there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
 
 - 
                        
Flowers
- Anther opening
 - the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
 
- Anther spurs
 - the anthers do not have spurs on them
 
- Calyx growth after flowering
 - NA
 
- Calyx symmetry
 - NA
 
- Carpel hairs
 - the carpels have no hairs
 
- Carpels fused
 - the carpels are fused to one another
 
- Cilia on petals
 - NA
 
- Cleistogamous flowers
 - there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
 
- Corolla morphology
 - NA
 
- Corolla palate
 - NA
 
- Corona lobe length
 - 0 mm
 
- Epicalyx
 - NA
 
- Epicalyx number of parts
 - 0
 
- Filament surface
 - the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
 
- Flower description
 - the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
 
- Flower number
 - At least 3
 
- Flower petal color
 - NA
 
- Flower reproductive parts
 - the flower has either only pollen- or only seed-producing parts
 
- Flower symmetry
 - 
                                
                                    
- NA
 - there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
 
 
- Flowers sunken into stem
 - no
 
- Form of style
 - the style is branched above the base
 
- Fringed petal edges
 - NA
 
- Fused stamen clusters
 - NA
 
- Fusion of sepals and petals
 - NA
 
- Hairs on inflorescence
 - at least some of the hairs on the axis of the inflorescence have glands
 
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
 - NA
 
- Hypanthium
 - the flower does not have a hypanthium
 
- Hypanthium length
 - 0 mm
 
- Inflorescence one-sided
 - the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
 
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
 - NA
 
- Interior flower disk
 - the flower has an interior disc
 
- Marks on petals
 - NA
 
- Nectar spur
 - the flower has no nectar spurs
 
- Number of carpels
 - 3
 
- Number of pistils
 - 1
 
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
 - there are no petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower, or they are not clearly present
 
- Number of styles
 - 3
 
- Ovary position
 - the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
 
- Perianth shape
 - NA
 
- Petal and sepal arrangement
 - the flower includes neither petals nor sepals
 
- Petal and sepal colors
 - NA
 
- Petal appearance
 - NA
 
- Petal base
 - NA
 
- Petal folds or pleats
 - NA
 
- Petal glandular dots or scales
 - NA
 
- Petal hairs (Viola)
 - NA
 
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
 - NA
 
- Petal length
 - 0 mm
 
- Petal length relative to sepals
 - NA
 
- Petal nectaries
 - NA
 
- Petal number
 - 0
 
- Petal shape
 - NA
 
- Petal tip shape
 - NA
 
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
 - NA
 
- Petal width
 - 0 mm
 
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
 - NA
 
- Reproductive system
 - each flower has only carpels or only stamens, but both types of flower are present on each plant (monoecious)
 
- Scales inside corolla
 - NA
 
- Sepal and petal color
 - NA
 
- Sepal appearance
 - NA
 
- Sepal appendages
 - NA
 
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
 - NA
 
- Sepal auricles
 - NA
 
- Sepal cilia
 - NA
 
- Sepal color
 - NA
 
- Sepal features
 - NA
 
- Sepal length
 - 0 mm
 
- Sepal number
 - 0
 
- Sepal orientation
 - NA
 
- Sepal relative length
 - NA
 
- Sepal shape
 - NA
 
- Sepal texture
 - NA
 
- Sepal tip shape
 - NA
 
- Sepal uniformity
 - NA
 
- Sepals fused only to sepals
 - NA
 
- Stamen number
 - 1 or 2
 
- Stamens fused
 - the stamens are not attached to one another
 
- Staminodes
 - there are no staminodes on the flower
 
- Style petal-like
 - the styles are not petal-like
 
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
 - NA
 
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
 - NA
 
 - 
                        
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
 - NA
 
- Achene shape
 - NA
 
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
 - NA
 
- Achene type
 - NA
 
- Berry color
 - NA
 
- Capsule color (Viola)
 - NA
 
- Capsule ribs
 - 
                                
                                    
- NA
 - the capsule has no prominent ribs or wings
 
 
- Capsule splitting
 - 
                                
                                    
- NA
 - the capsule splits by three main valves, teeth or pores
 
 
- Carpel beak length
 - 0 mm
 
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
 - NA
 
- Fruit beak length
 - 0 mm
 
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
 - NA
 
- Fruit length
 - 1.5–2 mm
 
- Fruit locules
 - three
 
- Fruit type (general)
 - 
                                
                                    
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
 - the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
 
 
- Fruit type (specific)
 - the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
 
- Hair type on fruit
 - NA
 
- Hairs on fruit
 - the fruits are not hairy
 
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
 - NA
 
- Mericarp length
 - 1.5–2 mm
 
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
 - NA
 
- Other markings on berry
 - NA
 
- Ovary stipe
 - the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
 
- Placenta arrangement
 - the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
 
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
 - NA
 
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
 - the fruit is not flattened
 
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
 - 0–3
 
- Seed length
 - 0.9–1.6 mm
 
- Seed number
 - 3
 
- Seed relative length
 - the seed is longer than it is wide
 
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
 - NA
 
- Wings on fruit
 - the fruit does not have wings on it
 
- prickles on fruits
 - the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
 
 - 
                        
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
 - the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
 
- Sap
 - the sap is milky and opaque, and may be white or colored
 
- Sap color
 - the sap is white
 
 - 
                        
Growth form
- Growth form
 - the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
 
- Lifespan
 - the plant lives only a single year or less
 
- Parasitism
 - the plant is not parasitic
 
- Plant color
 - the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
 
- Plants darken when dry
 - no
 
- Spines on plant
 - the plant has no spines
 
- Underground organs
 - there is a thickened taproot on the plant
 
 - 
                        
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
 - 0
 
- Bracteoles
 - the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers
 
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
 - NA
 
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
 - 0 mm
 
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
 - 0
 
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
 - 0 mm
 
- Floral bracts
 - the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
 
- Hairs on underside of leaf
 - the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
 - the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
 - no
 
- Inflated hairs on leaf
 - the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
 
- Leaf arrangement
 - opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
 
- Leaf blade base symmetry
 - the leaf blade base is asymmetrical
 
- Leaf blade bloom
 - the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
 
- Leaf blade edges
 - the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
 
- Leaf blade flatness
 - the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
 
- Leaf blade hairs
 - the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
 
- Leaf blade length
 - 5–20 mm
 
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
 - the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein
 
- Leaf blade shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
 - the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
 
 
- Leaf blade surface colors
 - the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
 
- Leaf blade veins
 - the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)
 
- Leaf duration
 - the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
 
- Leaf form
 - the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
 
- Leaf shiny
 - the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
 
- Leaf spines
 - there are no spines on the leaf edges
 
- Leaf stalk
 - the leaves have leaf stalks
 
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
 - the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
 
- Leaf stalk base
 - the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem
 
- Leaf teeth and lobes
 - the leaf blade margin has forward-pointing teeth
 
- Leaf type
 - the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Leaf types
 - NA
 
- Leaf variation
 - the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
 
- Leaflet number
 - 0
 
- Leaflet petiolules
 - NA
 
- Leaves per node
 - there are two leaves per node along the stem
 
- Pinnately compound leaf type
 - NA
 
- Specific leaf type
 - the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Stipels
 - NA
 
- Stipule features
 - NA
 
- Stipules
 - the plant has stipules
 
 - 
                        
Place
- Habitat
 - terrestrial
 
- New England state
 - 
                                
                                    
- Connecticut
 - Maine
 - Massachusetts
 - New Hampshire
 - Rhode Island
 - Vermont
 
 
- Specific habitat
 - 
                                
                                    
- human-disturbed or -maintained habitats
 - meadows or fields
 
 
 - 
                        
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
 - NA
 
- Direction of stem hairs
 - the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
 
- Flowering stem cross-section
 - the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
 
- Hair between stem nodes
 - the stem has hairs between the nodes
 
- Hairs between stem nodes
 - the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
 
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
 - no
 
- Leaves on stem
 - there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
 
- Length of hairs between stem nodes
 - 0.5–1.5 mm
 
- Plant height
 - Up to 40 cm
 
- Stem hair distribution
 - the hairs on the stem are distributed more of less uniformly
 
- Stem orientation
 - 
                                
                                    
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
 - the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips
 
 
- Stem roughness between nodes
 - the stem does not feel rough
 
- Tendril origin
 - NA
 
- Tendrils
 - the plant does not have tendrils
 
- Wings on stem
 - the stem does not have wings on it
 
 
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
 - present
 
- Maine
 - present
 
- Massachusetts
 - present
 
- New Hampshire
 - present
 
- Rhode Island
 - present
 
- Vermont
 - present
 
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
 - fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
 
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
18. Euphorbia vermiculata Raf. N
hairy sandmat. Chamaesyce rafinesquei (Greene) Arthur; C. vermiculata (Raf.) House • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Roadsides, railroads, sandy fields, waste areas.
Native to North America?
Yes and no (some introduced)
Sometimes confused with
- Euphorbia maculata:
 - ovary and capsule with hairs, leaf blades usually with red spots or blotches (vs. E. vermiculata, with the ovary and capsule without hairs, leaf blades green or tinged with red).
 - Euphorbia prostrata:
 - ovary and capsule pubescent and seeds with 3 or 4 prominent transverse ridges on each face (vs. E. vermiculata, with ovary and capsule glabrous and seeds with inconspicuous transverse ridges on each face).
 
Synonyms
- Chamaesyce rafinesquei (Greene) Arthur
 - Chamaesyce vermiculata (Raf.) House