About Cnidoscolus angustidens Torr.
Cnidoscolus angustidens Torr., commonly called mala mujer, is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. This species is native to the Sonoran Desert mountains of southeastern Arizona, northwestern Mexico, and regions further south within Mexico. The name "mala mujer" translates to "bad woman" in Spanish, a reference to the plant's stinging hairs that trigger severe contact dermatitis. Four recognized subspecies of Cnidoscolus angustidens have documented distributions: Cnidoscolus angustidens subsp. angustidens is found in Arizona and Mexico; Cnidoscolus angustidens subsp. calyculatus (Pax & K.Hoffm.) Breckon ex Fern.Casas occurs in Michoacán; Cnidoscolus angustidens subsp. dentatus Breckon ex Fern.Casas grows in Jalisco, Guerrero, and Puebla; and Cnidoscolus angustidens subsp. orbiculatus (Lundell) Breckon ex Fern.Casas is native to central and southern Mexico.
