Euphorbia squamosa, Willd.

24. E. squamosa Willd. View in CoL View at ENA , Sp. Pl. 2: 918 (1800).

Pubescent perennial 45-60 cm. Rhizome nodose-thickened. Stems usually pubescent, with axillary rays. Leaves oblong to oblong-elliptical, entire or nearly so, appressed-pubescent, particularly beneath, very shortly petiolate, the lower obtuse, the upper acute. Rayleaves rhombic-elliptical; raylet-leaves reniform-deltate, obtuse, glabrous. Rays 5-8, usually dichotomous, slender. Capsule 5 mm, covered with cylindrical-filiform tubercles and often pubescent. Seeds 3 mm, smooth. Woods. S.E. Russia (Rostovskaja Obi.). Rs (E). (Caucasian region.) (25-29). E. epithymoides group. Perennial, with a stout stock. Axillary rays few or none. Leaves lanceolate to elliptical or obovate, obtuse. Rays 4-5. Capsule with long, slender, often purple-tipped tubercles.

A group of closely related taxa centred in the Balkan peninsula; some may be best regarded as subspecies, but further investigation is required. 1 Leaves serrate 29. montenegrina 1 Leaves entire or serrulate near apex 2 Plant glabrous 27. gasparrinii 2 Plant pubescent 3 Leaves 3-4 times as long as wide; capsule c. 6 mm 26. Ungulata 3 Leaves 2-3 times as long as wide; capsule 3-5 mm 4 Leaves usually 30-50 mm; raylet-leaves elliptical; capsule 3-4 mm 25. epithymoides 4 Leaves usually 10-20 mm; raylet-leaves broadly ovate; capsule 4-5 mm 28. fragifera