SPECIES DESCRIPTION
EUPHORBIA HIRSUTA
Family and Genus:- See- EUPHORBIACEAE/Subgen. ESULA/Sect. HELIOSCOPIA
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Euphorbia pubescens, Euphorbia leucotricha
Meaning:- Euphorbia (L) For Euphorbus, physician to the King of Mauritania.
Hirsuta (L) Hairy.
General description:- Densely pubescent or almost glabrous perennial.
Stem:- Thick, reaching up to 100 cm., sometimes with axillary rays.
Leaves:-
1) Oblong-lanceolate to linear, acute to subobtuse, cordate at base, denticulate or
nearly entire.
2) Ray-leaves, elliptical to obovate.
3) Raylet-leaves, rhombic-ovate, subcordate at base.
Flowers:-
1) 5-rayed umbels.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, (2-)3-4 mm, deeply sulcate, villous or subglabrous, with oblong tubercles.
2) Seeds, (1·5-)2-2·5 mm, dark brown, with paler, small, irregular tubercles.
Key features:-
1) Capsule, tuberculate or cristate.
2) Seeds, minutely tuberculate.
Habitat:- Damp coastal habitats, streambanks, meadows, seasonally wet scrub
and roadsides. 0-700 m.
Distribution:- Coastal areas throughout Greece, scattered but not common. -
Mediterranean region and through Anatolia to Georgia. Limited distribution around
maritime areas on Crete. Rare.
Flowering time:- Late Mar to June, occasionally later.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton