Phaulothamnus

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{speciesbox

| image =Phaulothamnus spinescens (homeredwardprice) 001.jpg

| genus = Phaulothamnus

| image_caption = Phaulothamnus spinescens

| parent_authority = A.Gray

| species = spinescens

| authority = A.Gray

}}

Phaulothamnus is a genus of plants formerly included in the family Phytolaccaceae but now considered a part of the Achatocarpaceae.Brown, G. K. and G. S. Varadarajan. 1985. Studies in Caryophyllales I: Re-evaluation of classification of Phytolaccaceae s.l. Syst. Bot. 10: 49–63.Nowicke, J. W. and J. J. Skvarla. 1982. Pollen fine structure and relationships of Achatocarpus Triana and Phaulothamnus A. Gray. Taxon 31: 244–249.

Only one species is recognized:[http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/tro-24800178 The Plant List, Phaulothamnus spinescens] Phaulothamnus spinescens A. Gray, native to southern Texas, northeastern Mexico (eastern Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas), and northwestern Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, Baja California, Baja California Sur and the Islas Marías of Nayarit).[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220010281 Flora of North America v 4 p 13, Phaulothamnus spinescens]. This is a branching shrub with juicy berries.[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220010281 Flora of North America vol 4, p 13, Phaulothamnus spinescens] Common names include snake-eyes, devilqueen,{{PLANTS|id=PHSP2|taxon=Phaulothamnus spinescens|accessdate=24 September 2015}} or putia.

Phaulothamnus spinescens is a branching shrub up to 250 cm tall, with spines along the branches. Leaves are broader than wide, up to 35 mm wide but rarely more than 12 mm long. Flowers are borne one at a time or in racemes. Fruits are spherical, juicy, white to greenish with the black seeds visible through the thin fruit wall.[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8837482#page/318/mode/1up Asa Gray. 1885. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 20: 294.]CONABIO. 2009. Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. 1. In Capital Nat. México. CONABIO, Mexico City.Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas i–xv, 1–1881. The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson.Shreve, F. & I. L. Wiggins. 1964. Vegetation and Flora of the Sonoran Desert 2 vols. Stanford University Press, Stanford.