Jatropha cardiophylla

Common Name: Limberbush, Sangre de Drago
Oˊodham Name: Wa:s   Audio
Group: Succulents - Desert, Chaparral

Description
Jatropha cardiophylla grows form a large, underground tuber that produces a small number of stems up to 3 feet long. The stems are thick and succulent, and normally are leafless. During the Monsoon, a small number of shiny, heart-shaped leaves are produced. The leaves and stems contain a natural latex rubber. The stems may be used to produce a red dye. This species grows among rocks in the desert and on rocky slopes in the chaparral between 2500 and 4000 ft elevation.

entire plant (July)
single plant (June)
grove

Classification
Kingdom Plantae - Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons
Subclass Rosidae
Order Euphorbiales
Family Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family
Genus Jatropha L. - nettlespurge
Species Jatropha cardiophylla (Torr.) Müll. Arg. - sangre de cristo
More Information
USDA Plant Profile and Map

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