atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...

Euphorbia hypericifolia L. "spurge", "graceful spurge"
te tarai (K)
syn. Chamaesyce hypericifolia (L.) Millsp.
Recent introduction. Trop. America. Occasional. Slender, reddish-stemmed,
glabrous, branching herb, 10 to 50 cm high, with a taproot and white latex; leaves, 1 to
2.5 cm long and 0.3 to 1 cm wide, thin, opposite, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, entire or
minutely toothed, base oblique, green, rarely pinkish or reddish-purplish, glaucous
below; petioles, short, about 1 to 2 mm long; flowers, monoecious, small, inconspicuous,
greenish, petal-less, in cyathia borne in small cymes, on pedicels, 1.2 to 3 cm long, in
upper axils; involucral bracts, white, aging to pink; fruit, a 3 lobed capsule, with one
seed to a lobe, and forked styles; seeds, less than 1 mm long, ribbed, reticulate, dark red
to purplish. Garden and ruderal weed. 3(58658), 5(72), 6(223), 7, 8(9555).
Euphorbia milii Ch. des Moul. var. splendens (Bojer) Ursch & Leandri
"crown of thorns"
syn. E. splendens Bojer
Recent introduction. Madagascar. Rare. Erect branching shrub, up to 1 m or
higher, with hard, succulent, nearly cylindrical, subterete or slightly ridged stems,
sometimes twining, beset with many slender spines, up to 2.5 cm long; leaves, 2 to 5 cm
long and 1.5 to 4 mm wide, obovate, thinly fleshy, bright green, crowded toward branch
tips, soon falling; flowers, monoecious, very small, petal-less, in cyathia borne on long
axillary peduncles near the branch tips, each subtended by two opposite, rounded, wing-
like, bright- or salmon-red bracts, 8 to 10 mm long. Planted ornamental and pot plant.
6(178).
Euphorbia prostrata Ait.
te tarai (K)
syn. Chamaesyce prostrata (Ait.) Small
"prostrate spurge"
Pre-World War I introduction. Trop. America. Abundant. Prostrate annual herb,
much-branched at base, with white latex and slender purplish or pinkish stems, 2 to 20
cm long, which are glabrous or minutely puberulent on one side only; leaves, 2 to 10
mm long and 1.5 to 6 mm wide, opposite, simple, oblong-elliptic to oblong-obovate, tip
rounded to obtuse, base rounded to obliquely unequilateral, margins finely serrate
(serrulate), glabrous or sparsely puberulent dorsally, glaucous with a purplish tinge;
petioles, short, about 1 mm long; stipules, on upper side of stem distinct, linear, pilose,
those of lower side fused, apically toothed; flowers, monoecious, very small, purplish,
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