Ditaxis serrata
Saw toothed ditaxis
(c) Madeleine Claire, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Euphorbiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ditaxis serrata (Saw toothed ditaxis) is a native California herb in the Euphorbiaceae family, recognized by Only CA Ditaxis with clearly toothed (serrate) leaves; desert (D).
Saw toothed ditaxis is a California native perennial herb found in dry, rocky habitats at moderate elevations. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces small flowers with delicate petals. Growing with slender stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall, it develops an upright, somewhat branching form. Its leaves are elliptic to lanceolate, distinctively toothed along the edges, especially toward the tips, with blades 1 to 5 centimeters long. The plant produces compact seed capsules approximately 2 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only CA Ditaxis with clearly toothed (serrate) leaves; desert (D)
Habitat and range
California counties: Imperial, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego
How to tell it apart
vs Ricinus: Ditaxis has small flowers with petals; castor bean has petalless flowers and huge leaves.; vs Croton: Ditaxis flowers have visible petals; Croton flowers completely lack petals.; vs Bernardia: Ditaxis has petals on flowers; Bernardia flowers are petalless.; vs Acalypha: Ditaxis has petaled flowers; Acalypha flowers lack petals entirely.; vs Triadica: Ditaxis is small desert herb with petals; Triadica is tree with petalless flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ditaxis serrata native to California?
Yes. Ditaxis serrata is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Ditaxis serrata grow?
Ditaxis serrata occurs in Imperial, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego.
What plant family does Ditaxis serrata belong to?
Ditaxis serrata is in the Euphorbiaceae family, genus Ditaxis.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.