Tetracoccus dioicus
| Tetracoccus dioicus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Picrodendraceae |
| Genus: | Tetracoccus |
| Species: | T. dioicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Tetracoccus dioicus Parry | |
Tetracoccus dioicus is a species of flowering shrub native to the chaparral plant community of southern California and Baja California known by the common names Parry's tetracoccus and red shrubby-spurge. This is an erect shrub reaching about 2 meters in height, with gray-barked branches that are bright red when young. The stiff, leathery, yellowish-green leaves are opposite or clustered, often in threes, and they may be rolled lengthwise. The shrub bears staminate and pistillate flowers with red-yellow structures and distinctive four-lobed fruits which ripen to a bright red color.