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Taxon  Report  
Emex spinosa  (L.) Campd.
Devil's thorn,   Spiny threecornerjack
Emex spinosa is an annual herb that is not native to California.
Cal-IPC rating: moderate
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Observation Search
~625 records in California
redone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
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Bloom Period
Genus: Emex
Family: Polygonaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Habitat: disturbed

Communities: weed, characteristic of disturbed places

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS

Alternate Names:
PLANTSRumex spinosus
POWORumex spinosus
Information about  Emex spinosa from other sources

[Cal-IPC] Mediterranean native, Ecological Threat: Emex spinosa (spiny Emex, devils thorn) is an annual (family Polygonaceae) found on California south coast. This Mediterranean native is not yet common in California, but it is spreading rapidly and is known to crowd out native species. It frequently infests disturbed areas, especially in coastal habitats. Emex spinosa spiny seed pods stick to people and animals, so it spreads quickly along trails and then into undisturbed areas. Cal-IPC Rating: Moderate Alert (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 12/09/2024).