Euphorbia peplis explained

Euphorbia peplis, the purple spurge, is a species of Euphorbia, native to southern and western Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, where it typically grows on coastal sand and shingle.[1]

Description

A small, prostrate, hairless annual plant, the stems growing to NaN0NaN0 long, typically with four stems from the base. The leaves are opposite, oval, NaN1NaN1 long, grey-green, somewhat fleshy, reddish-purple veined, with oblique bases and a somewhat curved and wavy shape. Fruit capsules hairless, containing smooth 3mm seeds.[2] [3]

Habitat

Sandy sea-shores, rarely inland.[3]

Range

Shores of the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian and Red Seas, Persian Gulf, Ireland (PoWo Map)

At the northern edge of its range in England, it has always been rare, and is now extinct.[1] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe.
  2. Book: Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, vol. 7 . Davis.
  3. Book: Flora Europaea, vol. 2 . Tutin.
  4. Pearman, D. A. & Preston, C. D. (2002). The last British record of Euphorbia peplis. BSBI News 91: 25.