SPECIES DESCRIPTION
EUPHORBIA HELIOSCOPIA
Family and Genus:- See- EUPHORBIACEAE/Subgen. ESULA/Sect.
Common Names:- Sun spurge
Homotypic Synonyms:- Euphorbion helioscopium, Galarhoeus helioscopius,
Tithymalus helioscopius.
Meaning:- Euphorbia (L) For Euphorbus, physician to the King of Mauritania.
Helioscopia (Gr) Sun-watching, (the flower follows the sun).
General description:- Short to medium, more or less glabrous annual.
Stem:-
1) 10-50 cm. Usually solitary, erect.
Leaves:-
1) Cauline, obovate-spathulate, obtuse, serrate in the upper half.
2) Ray- and raylet-leaves, like the cauline but smaller.
Flowers:-
1) Rays, 5, trichotomous then dichotomous.
2) Bracts, yellowish, similar in shape to the leaves.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, 2.5-3.5 mm, smooth and unwinged.
2) Seeds, 2 mm, reticulate-rugose, brown.
Key features:-
1) Leaves, serrate in the upper half.
2) Capsule, smooth, unwinged.
3) Seeds, reticulate-rugose or transversely sulcate.
Habitat:- Cultivated and fallow fields, gardens, olive groves, occasionally in
phrygana. 0-600 m. (occasionally to1200 m.).
Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread
and common on Crete.
Flowering time:- Mar-May, and sporadically at other times.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
