Euphorbia maculata L.
spotted spurge
Procumbent annual. Stems moderately to densely hairy, branched, up to 40 cm long. Lvs opposite, glabrous to sparsely hairy above, sparsely to moderately hairy below, shortly petiolate, finely serrate toward apex, usually oblong, acute or obtuse, asymmetric at base, (3)-5-10-(12) mm long, often with a purple spot about midvein; stipules lanceolate, entire, free, c. 1 mm long. Cyathia in small, axillary, leafy clusters along branches; subtending lvs like stem lvs. Glands ovate, with small white or purplish appendages. Capsules smooth, grooved, sparsely to moderately clothed in appressed hairs; keels sharp. Seeds rugulose, 4-angled, reddish brown, 0.7-1.0 mm long.
N.: locally common from Bay of Plenty and Waikato to Northland (also collected on ballast in Wellington by Kirk, but no recent collections); S.: established in Nelson City and Christchurch.
N. America 1969
Gardens and waste places.
Possibly poisonous (Connor 1977).
Spotted spurge has sometimes been known in N.Z. as E. supina. However the correct name for this prostrate sp. is E. maculata [ see, Croizat, L., Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 74: 153-155 (1947), and Burch, D., Rhodora 68: 155- 156 (1966)].
