Euphorbia maculata
milk spurge
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
milk spurge
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Annual herb from a fibrous root; stems prostrate, softly hairy to bristly, with milky juice, 10-40 cm long.
Leaves:
Stem leaves opposite, obliquely oblong, 5-15 mm, long, often with a deep red central spot, somewhat toothed, hairy beneath, glabrous above; stipules linear, 0.5 mm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of several involucres solitary in the leaf-axils; involucres 1 mm long, stiffly-hairy, triangular-shaped; glands 4, yellow, conspicuous membranous appendages kidney-shaped, white to deep pink.
Fruits:
Capsules, 1.5 mm long, hairy; seeds 1 mm long, pinkish, sticky when wet, ridged and cross-corrugated.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Habitat and Range
Dry disturbed sites and waste places in the lowland zone; rare in SW and SC BC; introduced from S U.S.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small