EUPHORBIA CHAMAESYCE

Family and Genus:- See- EUPHORBIACEAE/ Subgen. CHAMAESYCE

Common Names:- Small spurge

Homotypic Synonyms:- Anisophyllum chamaesyce, Chamaesyce chamaesyce

Tithymalus chamaesyce

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

Chamaesyce (Gr) Dwarf fig tree.

General description:- Procumbent annual, Hairy with short thin hairs, rarely

hairless.

Stems:-

1) Numerous, procumbent, thin and branching, with branches up to 30 cm.

Leaves:-

1) (1-)3-7(-11) x (1-)2·5-4·5(-6) mm, asymmetrically ovate-suborbicular to oblong,

obtuse or emarginate, oblique at the base, nearly entire or obscurely serrulate.

2) Petiole, c. 1 mm.

3) Stipules, up to 1 mm, triangular.

Flowers:-

1) Cups, 1-2mm, isolated in the axils of the branches.

2) Glands, red, surrounded by a white membrane, three or five-lobed, giving the

impression of a real lobed corolla.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 2 x 2 mm, rather deeply sulcate, smooth, glabrous to densely patent-

pubescent.

2) Seeds, 1·2 mm, ovoid-quadrangular, irregularly tuberculate-rugulose, greyish.

Key features:-

1) Hairs on capsule patent.

2) Leaves, (1-)3-7(-11) mm, entire or obscurely serrulate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Gravelly road verges and somewhat damp, compacted ruderal ground. 0-

1100 m.

Distribution:- Scattered throughout Greece. Widespread throughout the

Mediterranean region. Very rare on Crete known only from a few scattered coastal

areas.

Flowering time:- Apr-July.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis and Charalambos Chiotelis