Unité de Malherbologie & Agronomie Weed Science & Agronomy INRA-Dijon

Bayer Code : ephhe

Scientific name: Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Synonym(s) of Sc. name:

Classification: Euphorbiaceae, Dicotyledonous

Common name: sun spurge

Synonym(s) of Common name:

Name per country: DE : Sonnen-Wolfsmilch ; ES : lechetrezna común ; FR : euphorbe réveil matin ; IT : euforbia calenzuola ; PT : maleiteira ; EN : sun spurge ; NL : kroontjeskruid, NL : wrattekruid ; DK : skærm-vortemælk

Biological type: Annual

Seed:

.

Seedling:

- Cotyledons lengthened, spoon-like.

- Leaves entire, elliptic to ovate, entire-margined.

Adult plant:

- Height: 10-40 cm. Plant glabrous with a tap-root.

- Stem erect, thickened.

- Leaves obovatee, broad and cuneate at the stem, larger and larger near the upper part, tapered into a petiole at the base, denticulate at the upper 1/3, rounded or obtuse or notched tip, 15-30 mm broad. Whitish latex.

- Flowers yellow-green, not very distinct. Inflorescence in 5-rayed terminal umbel. Green glands horizontal, ovate, hornless. Bracts similar to the nearest leaves.

- Fruit : capsule smooth, 3 mm long, minutely pitted, not warty. Seeds brown, rounded or ovate, warty.

- Plant toxic. The milky juice is used as purgative and against warts. Vesicant leaves.

- Risk of confusion with Euphorbia peplus L.

- Biological type: Annual.

Mistake with: Euphorbia peplus

Ecological profile (click on flags):   Present       Present       Present       Present       Present       Present       Present     Present    

Copyright © 2000-2001 INRA, all rights reserved ; J.-P. Lonchamp, Nov. 2000
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