Euphorbia peplis

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Euphorbia peplis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Species: E. peplis
Binomial name
Euphorbia peplis
L.

Euphorbia peplis (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][2][3]

It should not be confused with the similarly spelled Euphorbia peplus (Petty Spurge), a common weed.

It is a small, prostrate annual plant, the stems growing to 10-20 cm long, typically with four stems from the base. The leaves are opposite, oval, 1-2 cm long, grey-green with reddish-purple veins.[3]

At the northern edge of its range in England, it has always been rare, and is now extinct.[3][4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Germplasm Resources Information Network: Euphorbia peplis
  2. ^ Flora Europaea: Euphorbia peplis
  3. ^ a b c Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN 0-340-40170-2
  4. ^ Pearman, D. A. & Preston, C. D. (2002). The last British record of Euphorbia peplis. BSBI News 91: 25.
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