Euphorbia peplus

Common name: Petty Spurge

Meaning of name:

Euphorbia is named after the Greek physician Euphorbus (1st century B.C.), who discovered the medicinal use of the plant as an emetic or vesicant. Peplus is the former name of the plant adopted by Linnaeus as a specific.

Distribution:

Occurs across much of southern Australia.

Description:

An erect herb to 40 centimetres tall. The yellow-green flowers are produced from July to October.

Notes:

This species is originally from Europe. The milky sap is corrosive and the plant is toxic to stock.

References:

Western Weeds, A Guide to the Weeds of Western Australia. BMJ Hussey, GJ Keighery, J Dodd, SG Lloyd, RD Cousens. 1997.

Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.

Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.

Atlas of Living Australia https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2919170

Florabase https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/4638