Euphorbia falcata L. Sickle Spurge

Euphorbia falcata L. - Sickle Spurge

Scientific Description:

Glabrous, subglabrous or minutely puberulous annual, slightly pruinose glaucous or not, to 30 cm. Stems simple or much-branched from base. Cauline leaves linear-oblanceolate to spathulate, 5−30 × 1−7 mm, aristate to emarginate, ± entire. Ray-leaves oblanceolate to ovate-rhombic. Raylet-leaves asymmetrically falcate-elliptic or obliquely ovate-rhombic to suborbicular, 2−20 × 1−12 mm, apex subacute to aristate, base cuneate to subcordate, subentire, uniformly green or whitish at base. Rays 3−5, to 10 times dichotomous; axillary rays 0−10(−15). Glands short-or medium-horned, rarely almost hornless. Fruit ellipsoid, shallowly trisulcate, trigonous, 1.5−2 mm diam. , smooth. Seeds dorsiventrally compressed-ovoid or-ellipsoid, shallowly quadrangular, entire or crenulate, 1−2 mm, with (4−)5−7 ± regular transverse grooves or (5−)9−15 ± irregular transverse pits per facet, yellowish-brown when young, pale or dark grey when mature; caruncle prominent, terminal, conical, white, readily caducous.

subsp. falcate

Raylet-leaves as long as or longer than broad, elliptic or ovate, lax, uniformly green, with mucro 1−1.5 mm; seeds ± entire, 1−2 mm, with (4−)5−7 transverse grooves per facet, pale grey when mature

var. falcate

Rays and raylets short; seeds 1.4−2 mm, transverse grooves 5−7 per facet, deep.

Flowering Time: April−August.

Habitat: Edge of conifer forests, Quercus coccifera L. macchie, phrygana, rocky slopes, steppe, moist places, fields, waste ground, s.l.−1900 m.

Reference:

Radcliffe-Smith A (1982). Euphorbia falcata L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 7: 607.

Public Description:

Euphorbia falcata, known as “sickle spurge”, is native to Southern and Middle Europe, the Mediterranean, Northern Africa, the Balkans, Türkiye, Iran, Afghanistan, India and the Himalayas. It is an annual plant with yellowish green stem and flowers, and grows up to 30 cm in length. It blooms between April and August and is found in edge of conifer forests, Quercus coccifera L. macchie, phrygana, rocky slopes, steppe, moist places, fields and waste ground.

References:

Anonymous (2015). http://www.agroatlas.ru/en/content/weeds/Euphorbia_falcata/, Accessed date: 29.11.2015.

Öztekin M (2012). Euphorbia L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 414–424.