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. The sap is poisonous and considered carcinogenic.[4][5]
Descriptionedit
Euphorbia maculata is typically prostrate, with specimens rarely reaching up as high as 30 centimetres (12 in). The stems spread out in a mat along the ground with each stem rarely greater than 45 centimetres (18 in) long. The leaves are oval but rather elongate, up to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) long, and arranged in opposite pairs. The cyathia, bisexual reproductive structures unique to plants in the genus, are very small, with four white petal-like appendages that are sometimes pink.
The leaves are often marked with a reddish spot in the center, a feature that led to the common name of spotted spurge. It is similar to Euphorbia prostrata, but that species has shorter leaves that are more rounded at the tips. It may occasionally be confused with Euphorbia serpens but the very short and rounded leaves of E. serpens in combination with the larger (but still inconspicuous) cyathia should remove any potential for confusion.
Referencesedit
^NatureServe (2024). "Euphorbia maculata". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
^"Euphorbia maculata L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
^Candice Miller. "Plants That Cause Skin Irritation" (PDF). University of Illinois Extension. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
^"Prostrate spurge". CSU/Denver County Extension. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Euphorbia maculata.
Missouriplants: Euphorbia maculata 2018-10-01 at the Wayback Machine
January 01, 1970
euphorbia, maculata, known, spotted, spurge, prostrate, spurge, confused, with, euphorbia, prostrata, milk, purslane, spotted, sandmat, fast, growing, annual, plant, family, euphorbiaceae, while, native, north, america, where, common, garden, lawn, weed, unite. 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 Euphorbia maculata Conservation status Secure NatureServe 1 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Rosids Order Malpighiales Family Euphorbiaceae Genus Euphorbia Species E maculata Binomial name Euphorbia maculataL 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 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 The sap is poisonous and considered carcinogenic 4 5 Description editEuphorbia maculata is typically prostrate with specimens rarely reaching up as high as 30 centimetres 12 in The stems spread out in a mat along the ground with each stem rarely greater than 45 centimetres 18 in long The leaves are oval but rather elongate up to 3 centimetres 1 2 in long and arranged in opposite pairs The cyathia bisexual reproductive structures unique to plants in the genus are very small with four white petal like appendages that are sometimes pink The leaves are often marked with a reddish spot in the center a feature that led to the common name of spotted spurge It is similar to Euphorbia prostrata but that species has shorter leaves that are more rounded at the tips It may occasionally be confused with Euphorbia serpens but the very short and rounded leaves of E serpens in combination with the larger but still inconspicuous cyathia should remove any potential for confusion References edit NatureServe 2024 Euphorbia maculata Arlington Virginia Retrieved 10 April 2024 Euphorbia maculata L Plants of the World Online Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 2017 Retrieved 7 December 2020 Euphorbia maculata Global Biodiversity Information Facility Retrieved 4 December 2022 Candice Miller Plants That Cause Skin Irritation PDF University of Illinois Extension Retrieved September 18 2014 Prostrate spurge CSU Denver County Extension Retrieved September 18 2014 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Euphorbia maculata Missouriplants Euphorbia maculata Archived 2018 10 01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Euphorbia maculata amp oldid 1218281157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
