UPHORBIA PLATYPHYLLOS

Family and Genus:- See- EUPHORBIACEAE/Subgen. ESULA/Sect. HELIOSCOPIA

Common Names:- Broad-leaved spurge.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Galarhoeus platyphyllus, Tithymalus platyphyllos.

Meaning:- Euphorbia (L) For Euphorbus, physician to the King of Mauritania.

Platyphyllos (Gr) Broad-leaved, with broad leaves

General description:- Erect, glabrous or sparsely pilose annual.

Stems:-

1) 15-80(-110) cm. tall. lower part, becoming leafless, often reddish, with scars.

Leaves:-

1) Narrowly elliptical to oblanceolate, often patent or deflexed, denticulate at least

above.

2) Raylet leaves. ovate-rhombic, yellowish-green.

Flowers:-

1) Rays, (3-)5, long.

2) Glands, transversely elliptical, entire. yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 2.5-3 mm. covered with hemispherical tubercles.

2) Seeds, 2.0-2.2 mm, smooth, somewhat glossy. dark brownish-grey, caruncle,

reniform.

Key features:-

1) Capsule, covered with hemispherical tubercles.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Seasonally wet, nutrient-rich habitats by streams, in open woodland and

agricultural areas, (0-1100 m, occasionally somewhat higher on mainland Greece

Distribution:- Scattered in Greece, especially in the N.- Mediterranean. area, C

Europe & SW Asia; introduced in North & South America. Previously unrecorded

from Crete. Discovered by Christopher Cheiladakis October 2022 in the Akrotiri

area.

Flowering time:- May-Sept.

Photos by:- Christopher Cheiladakis