Euphorbia helioscopia

From Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki
Revision as of 18:12, 8 October 2008 by Raffi (talk | contribs) (1 revision(s))
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigationJump to search
Euphorbia helioscopia
Flowers and immature fruit
Flowers and immature fruit
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Species: E. helioscopia

Binomial name
Euphorbia helioscopia
L.

Euphorbia helioscopia (Sun Spurge) is a species of spurge native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and eastward through most of Asia.[1][2][3]

It is an annual plant growing in arable land and disturbed ground. It grows to 10–50 cm tall, with a single, erect, hairless stem, branching toward the top. The leaves are oval, broadest near the tip, 1.5-3 cm long, with a finely toothed margin. The flowers are small, yellow-green, with two to five basal bracts similar to the leaves but yellower; flowering lasts from mid spring to late summer.[3][4]

It is highly poisonous. Active ingredients are extracted from it for use in pharmaceutical industry.

Other old folk names include wart spurge, umbrella milkweed and "madwoman's milk".[4]

References

  1. Germplasm Resources Information Network: Euphorbia helioscopia
  2. Flora Europaea: Euphorbia helioscopia
  3. 3.0 3.1 Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN 0-340-40170-2
  4. 4.0 4.1 Malta Wild Plants Euphorbia helioscopia

Template:Commons Template:Euphorbia-stub

de:Sonnwend-Wolfsmilch es:Euphorbia helioscopia fr:Euphorbia helioscopia ko:등대풀 it:Euphorbia helioscopia nl:Kroontjeskruid ja:トウダイグサ pl:Wilczomlecz obrotny sq:Euphorbia helioscopia fi:Viisisädetyräkki sv:Revormstörel