Euphorbia nutans Lag.
nodding spurge
Usually ascending annual. Stems with a stripe of hairs at young tips, ± glabrous or evenly moderately hairy below, branched or not from base, up to 40-(50) cm long. Lvs opposite, ± glabrous above and below, or sparsely hairy near base, shortly petiolate, serrate, elliptic-oblong, acute to obtuse, asymmetric at base, (8)-10-30 mm long, often with a reddish purple spot about midvein; stipules triangular, serrate, at least partly fused, 1-2 mm long. Cyathia solitary at nodes or in small axillary leafy clusters along branches; subtending lvs similar to stem lvs. Glands ovate, with large white or pink petaloid appendages. Capsules smooth, glabrous, grooved, with sharp keels. Seeds rugulose, 4-angled, dark brown to black, c. 1.2 mm long.
N.: established in Auckland City and Bay of Plenty, also recorded for Whangarei.
N. America 1883
Waste places.
Poisonous (Connor 1977, as E. maculata).
Early confusion over the correct application of the name E. maculata has meant that E. nutans has usually been known as E. maculata in N.Z. E. nutans was first recorded by Cheeseman, T. F., Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst. 15: 292 (1883, as E. hypericifolia L.) but has only recently been re-collected. It is distinguished from E. maculata by its glabrous capsules, larger lvs and more erect habit.
