Common name: Spotted Spurge, Prostrate Spurge, Spotted Sandmat
Euphorbia maculata L. APNI* Synonyms: Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small APNI* Euphorbia supina Raf. APNI* Chamaesyce supina (Raf.) Moldenke APNI*
Description: Prostrate to ascending annual herb with several stems to c. 30 cm long, often forming dense mats, ± villous.
Leaves oblong, elliptic or obovate-oblong, mostly 3–8(-20) mm long, usually 1–4(-8) mm wide, finely toothed to ± entire, often with a reddish brown spot in the middle; stipules subulate, ± lacerate, to 1.5 mm long.
Cyathia with narrow white to pink, lobed appendages to 0.5 mm wide.
Capsule c. 1.3 mm long, 1–2 mm diam., appressed hairs scattered over the 3 faces, angles more rounded; seeds pale brown, often with a whitish bloom, 4-angled.
Distribution and occurrence: Garden weed, often grows in cracks and paths. Native of N Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *NWP, *SFWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *N.T. *S.A. *W.A.
The names Euphorbia thymifolia L. and Chamaesyce thymifolia (L.) Millsp. have been misapplied to Euphorbia maculata L.
Text by T.A. James & G.J. Harden, as Chamaesyce supina in Flora of NSW 1 (1990) Taxon concept: Halford, D.A. & Harris, W.K. (2012), A taxonomic revision of Euphorbia section Anisophyllum Roeper (Euphorbiaceae) in Australia. Austrobaileya 8(4): 516-518; accepted by APC (accessed January 2017)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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