SPECIES DESCRIPTION
EUPHORBIA MACULATA
Family and Genus:- See- EUPHORBIACEAE/ Subgen. CHAMAESYCE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Anisophyllum maculatum, Chamaesyce maculata,
Tithymalus maculatus, Xamesike maculata.
Meaning:- Euphorbia (L) For Euphorbus, physician to the King of Mauritania.
Maculata (L) Spotted, blotched, bearing spots.
General description:- Procumbent, branched annual.
Stems:-
1) Procumbent, to 30 cm, with up to 8 branches, often with two opposite rows of
hairs.
Leaves:-
1) 6-14 x 2-6 mm, oblong to obovate, often spotted and glabrous above, pilose or
glabrescent beneath, serrulate.
2) Petiole, 0.5-1.5 mm; stipules isomorphic, fimbriate.
3) Stipules c. 1 mm, triangular-subulate.
Flowers:- .
1) Glands, transversely ovate, with small, purplish appendages.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, 1-1·3 x 1·2-1·5 mm, shallowly sulcate, smooth, pilose with appressed
hairs.
2) Seeds, 0·8 mm, ovoid-quadrangular, slightly sulcate, grey to chestnut-brown.
Key features:-
1) Hairs on capsule closely appressed.
Habitat:- Gravelly road verges, compacted soil, lawns and ruderal habitats.
0-200 m.
Distribution:- Scattered around coastal areas of Greece and the Mediterranean.
Rare on Crete, currently known from only three locations. Introduced, native to
North America.
Flowering time:- Apr-Oct.
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis and Giorgos Pantakis
