Euphorbia maculata

Euphorbia maculata

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Species:
E. maculata
Binomial name
Euphorbia maculata
Synonyms[2]
List
    • Anisophyllum maculatum (L.) Haw.
    • Chamaesyce jovetii (Huguet) Holub
    • Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small
    • Chamaesyce pseudonutans Thell.
    • Chamaesyce supina (Raf.) H.Hara
    • Chamaesyce tracyi Small
    • Euphorbia depressa Torr. ex Spreng.
    • Euphorbia jovetii Huguet
    • Euphorbia maculata var. detonsa Engelm. ex Boiss.
    • Euphorbia maculata var. parvula Riddell
    • Euphorbia reichenbachiana Lojac.
    • Euphorbia supina Raf.
    • Tithymalus maculatus (L.) Moench
    • Xamesike depressa (Torr. ex Spreng.) Raf.
    • Xamesike littoralis Raf.
    • Xamesike maculata (L.) Raf.
    • Xamesike supina (Raf.) Raf.

Euphorbia maculata, known as spotted spurge, prostrate spurge (not to be confused with Euphorbia prostrata), milk purslane, or spotted sandmat, is a fast-growing annual plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. While it is native to North America, where it is a common garden and lawn weed in the United States, it has become a common introduced species throughout the world, including Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.[3]

Prostrate spurge growing on disturbed soil

It grows in sunny locations and a variety of soils, and functions as a pioneer species in ecological succession. The sap of this plant is a mild skin irritant and can cause a rash in some people.[4] The milky sap of plants in genus Euphorbia is poisonous and considered carcinogenic.[5]

  1. ^ NatureServe (2024). "Euphorbia maculata". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Euphorbia maculata L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Euphorbia maculata". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Prostrate Spurge". CSU/Denver County Extension. Archived from the original on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  5. ^ Miller, Candice. "Plants That Cause Skin Irritation" (PDF). University of Illinois Extension. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2014.