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Euphorbia thymifolia

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malpighiales Family: Euphorbiaceae Genus: Euphorbia

spurge

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Annual herbs.

Stems: Stems prostrate, 1–3 dm long, crisp–pubescent above, glabrous below.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades ovate to oblong, 3–9 mm long, 1.5–5 mm wide. Apex rounded or obtuse. Base obtuse, rounded, or subcordate. Surfaces glabrous or with a few scattered hairs. Margins coarsely serrate. Petioles 0.5–1 mm long. Stipules distinct, 0.5–1 mm long, lacerate.

Flowers: Flowers in cyathia 1 to few at nodes of short, congested, leafy, lateral shoots; staminate flowers 3–5 per cyathium. involucre 0.6–1 mm high, pubescent to glabrate, glands 4, red, elliptic to suborbicular, appendages white to rose, about twice as long as the gland, sometimes absent. Flowers unisexual and highly reduced. Pistillate flowers solitary, on a gynophore; staminate flowers in 5 groups or cymules, each with 1 to several flowers. Calyx (sepals) absent. Corolla (petals) absent. Male flower reduced to a single stamen, with an articulation at junction of pedicel and filament, subtended by slender bracteoles. Ovary superior, 3-carpellate; ovules 1 per cell, anatropous.

Fruit: Capsules ovoid–deltoid; 3–angled; 1–1.5 mm long; uniformly strigose; not fully exserted; but splitting the cyathium at maturity. Seeds dull; pinkish; strongly quadrangular; 0.8–1 mm long; the faces with 3–4 transverse ridges.

Ploidy: 2n = 18; 19

Habitat: Low elevation; dry; disturbed sites.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 454 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:615 (O, H [as Chamaesyce thymifolia]); Lorence et al. 1995:35 (K, EM); Oppenheimer & Bartlett 2000:5 (WM); Oppenheimer 2003:11 (Mo, L); Govaerts et al. 2000:848/Yang & Berry 2011 (Syn. C. thymifolia = E. thymifolia)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Euphorbia thymifolia Honolulu, 42 Coelho Way in garden bed Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1957-10-19
2 Euphorbia thymifolia Pali Highway, vacinity of Akamu Pl Crack in sidewalk, sunny exposed area Preserved_Specimen Faccenda, K. 1932 Oahu BISH 2021-05-29
3 Euphorbia thymifolia Central Maui, Wailuku District, Kahului, Jack in the Box parking lot In curb. Preserved_Specimen Starr, F. 107221 Maui BISH 2001-07-22
4 Euphorbia thymifolia Honolulu, University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Growing in sidewalk crack. Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 1966 Oahu BISH 1971-06-20
5 Euphorbia thymifolia Hulopoe Bay In lawn. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 40118 Lanai BISH 2001-04-15
6 Euphorbia thymifolia Kaunakakai, near wharf In lawn. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 70112 Molokai BISH 2001-07-14
7 Euphorbia thymifolia East Maui, Hana District, Kalahu Point, PTBG Kahanu Garden Cultivated area running north from garden entrance along edge of forest. Preserved_Specimen Flynn, T.W. 2584 Maui BISH 1987-10-30
8 Euphorbia thymifolia ahupuaa of Halepuaa Forest Reserve in the Puna District Found growing on the side of the old railroad. Preserved_Specimen ESP Field Crew Hawaii BISH 1979-08-15
9 Euphorbia thymifolia Panaewa, South Hilo District Growing with Desmodium, Mimosa pudica and grasses along roadways. Preserved_Specimen Nagata, K.M. 1650 Hawaii BISH 1978-05-27
10 Euphorbia thymifolia Hawaii National Park, between Hilina Pali and Kaone Abundant on shallow ash soil. Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 324 Hawaii BISH 1943-02-15
11 Euphorbia thymifolia W Maui, Lahaina District, Honokahua, vicinity of Namalu Bay, near Kapalua Bay Hotel Weed in lawn. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 99902 Maui BISH 1999-09-04
12 Euphorbia thymifolia Central Maui, Kahului Very common in lawns in the Kahului industrial area. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2790 Maui BISH 1987-04-18
13 Euphorbia thymifolia within a disturbed area at the western tip of Halepuaa Forest Reserve in the Puna District Found only in areas of crushed `a`a lava void of other vegetation. Preserved_Specimen Clarke, G. 79.23 Hawaii BISH 1979-03-29
14 Euphorbia thymifolia Honolulu, Old Naval Station Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 5 Oahu BISH 1919-10-16
15 Euphorbia thymifolia W Maui, Lahaina District, Honokahua, Hawea Point Growing near coastal bluffs in shallow clay soil. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 99908 Maui BISH 1999-09-11
16 Euphorbia thymifolia Located down Chain of Craters Road about 23.3 miles toward dKalapana from intersection with Crater Rim Road; 1.6 miles before Kamoamoa picnic area, or 8 miles before Queens Bath Salt spray community. Plant on ocean side (SE) of road across from a road pulloff. (plot 30). Preserved_Specimen Newell, C.L. 96 Hawaii BISH 1966-07-20
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