Euphorbia peplus, L.

67. E. peplus L. View in CoL View at ENA , Sp. Pl. 456 (1753).

Glabrous annual up to 40 cm, with 2 or more branches from the base and with 0-3 axillary rays. Leaves 5-25 x 3-15 mm, with petioles up to 8 mm, ovate, suborbicular or obovate, entire. Ray-leaves like the cauline, but with shorter petioles. Raylet-leaves smaller, slightly obliquely ovate. Rays 3, up to 5 times dichotomous. Glands with 2 filiform horns. Capsule 2 x 2 mm, shallowly sulcate, smooth; each valve with two dorsal ridges. Seeds 1-1-1-4 mm, ovoid-hexagonal, sulcate ventrally and pitted dorsally, pale grey, darker in the depressions. 2« =16. Weed o f cultivated ground. Most o f Europe northwards to c. 65° N. All except Fa Is Rs (N,?K) Sb.

E. peploides Gouan , FI. Monsp. 174 (1765), appears to be merely a dwarf variant of 67, with a poorly developed umbel and smaller seeds with fewer pits. It occurs in dry places in the Mediterranean region and Portugal.

E. calabrica Huter , Porta & Rigo, Österr. Bot. Zeitschr. 57: 436 (1907), from Calabria, is like 67 but the capsule is without ridges and the seeds are vermiculate-rugose. It is doubtfully distinct from 67 and is in need of further investigation.