| Botanical Name |
Chamaesyce fendleri, Syn. Euphorbia fendleri |
| Common Name |
Fendler’s sandmat, Carpet weed |
| Family |
Euphorbiaceae – Euphorbia - Spurge |
| Description |
This native perennial forms dense mats on dry open slopes.The stems are crooked, creeping and hairless.The leaves are fuzzy and vary from oval to spade-shaped. There are 4 species of Chamaesyce but this is the only perennial. This reddish-green plant is often overlooked. |
| Mature Size |
It lies flat on the ground. |
| Bloom |
In early spring many tiny maroon or pinkish flower-like cups appear. Each one houses a central pistillate flower surrounded by several staminate flowers. When fertilized, the central pistillate flower elongates, swells and hangs out. |
| Interesting Facts |
Most members of the family are poisonous. Their milky sap will irritate the eyes, mouth and skin. This species was named in honor of Augustus Fendler (1813 -1883), a German plant collector in North America. He obtained and recorded the first specimen of Chamaesyce fendleri in Santa Fe, NM, in 1847. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses |
None found. |
