Euphorbia lathyris L.
caper spurge (moleplant)
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
caper spurge (moleplant)
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Biennial herb from a fibrous root; stems erect, branched, fleshy, glabrous and glaucous, 30-100 cm tall.
Leaves:
Stem leaves opposite, the pairs arranged at right angles to the adjacent pairs near the stem base, narrowly oblong, 6-12 cm long, 7-15 mm wide, stalkless, broadening in shape upward on the stem; upper leaves distinctly more oval in shape and more or less heart-shaped.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of several stalked involucres solitary in the leaf axils; involucres 3 mm long, purplish; glands 4, with short, rounded horns.
Fruits:
Capsules, 5-10 mm long, globose, coarsely wrinkled; seeds 4-6 mm long, brownish, net-veined.
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
Mesic to dry roadsides and waste places in the lowland zone; rare in SW BC, known only from Victoria and Vancouver; introduced from Europe.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Euphorbia lathyrus L. [orthographic variant]
Galarhoeus lathyris (L.) Haw.
Tithymalus lathyris (L.) Hill