EUPHORBIA PTEROCCOA

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

Common Names:-

Homotypic Synonyms:- Tithymalus pterococcus.

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

Pterococca (Gr) Winged-fruits.

General description:- Erect, glabrous annual.

Stem:-

1) Usually simple, 5-20 cm tall. often with axillary rays below the terminal umbel.

Leaves:-

1) Cauline, spathulate to oblanceolate, thin, serrulate at least in the upper half.

2) Lower, shortly petiolate.

3) Ray-leaves, like the cauline.

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

Flowers:-

1) Rays, 3-5, filiform, (rarely more), trichotomous then dichotomous. slender.

2) Glands, transversely elliptical, not horned, greenish or yellowish.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 1.5-2 mm, smooth, with 2 conspicuous, undulate wings on each valve.

2) Seeds, c. 1.2 mm, broadly ovoid, alveolate, brown, caruncle, lacking or

inconspicuous

Key features:-

1) Glands, ovate, entire.

2) Stems, usually solitary.

3) Capsule, winged.

4) Seeds, alveolate-reticulate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Field margins, olive groves and dry open shrubby vegetation, 0-200 m,

rare but inconspicuous and perhaps overlooked.

Distribution:- Scattered in coastal areas of W Peloponnisos and Ionian Islands. -

Mediterranean region, mainly in the W & C parts, Macaronesia. Rare on Crete

currently known from only a few location in the N.W.

Flowering time:- March-May

Photos by:- A. N. Other