The Spurge Family

Slender Three-seeded Mercury Large Spotted Sandmat Seaside Sandmat Cypress Spurge

What are they?

This is a very diverse family of plants with most species readily recognized by the milky white, poisonous sap which exudes when the plant is damaged. The genus Euphorbia is remarkably diverse and includes a number of desert-adapted, cactus-like species in the Old World, as well as the well-known Poinsettia Euphorbia pulcherrima which brightens many a home at Christmas with its red bracts. Generally, members of this family have small and insignificant, greenish or whitish flowers, with the male and female parts carried in separate flowers.

Where are they found?

Many of the species have succulent stems and/or leaves and are adapted to life in very dry places, such as sandy beaches and dunes. More leafy species are typically found in shady woodland or field margins.

Identification

There are a few tricky species in this group and it is often necessary to check details of the flower structure, particularly the leafy bract which usually surrounds the flower or flower clusters.

Ditch Stonecrop Penthorum sedoides

A plant of wet, loamy soils, often in shaded swamps and wet woodland. Flowers June to September. Note that this species is in its own family (the Penthoraceae), but is placed here as both its leaves and its flowers resemble those of members of the spurge family.


Habit	Flower spike	Flower close-up	Seed capsule

Glandular Croton Croton glandulosus

(Vente Conmigo) A plant that is not often seen, but its tiny flowers and unassuming features could mean that it is overlooked easily. Generally a weedy plant of open, often disturbed places such as roadsides and waste places. Flowers late May to July. The hairs on the stems are distinctive, being stellate; that is to say, they are arranged in star-like clusters like little asterisks (*).


Habit	Tiny white flowers	Leaf	Stems hairs form star pattern

Willdenow's Croton Croton willdenowii

A rare plant of dry soils on tracksides and disturbed ground that just gets into Cape May County on the edges of the Pine Barrens. Flowers August to September. Leaf undersides silvery and stems roughly downy.


Habit	Leaves	Leaf underside	Stems rough

Slender Three-seeded Mercury Acalypha gracilens

Not uncommon as a weed of gravel paths, trails and other disturbed sites in urban areas. Flowers July to September. A rather straggly, low-growing species with narrow leaves.


leaves narrow	Male flower cluster and bract	Male flower cluster and bract	Female flower cluster in center of bract

Common Three-seeded Mercury Acalypha rhomboidea

Not uncommon in shady places along woodland trails and shady field margins. Flowers mostly July to September. This species has the broadest leaves of the Acalypha species. The bract surrounding the flowers has 5-9 lobes.


Habit	Flower bract with 6 lobes	Side view of flower and bract	Leaf

Spreading Sandmat Euphorbia humistrata

(Hairy Spreading Spurge) Formerly a species of the midwest which has spread east in urban and man-made habitats. Most likely to be found as a weed of gravel paths and cracks in pavement. Flowers July to September.


Habit	Flowering shoot	Close-up of flowers

Spotted Sandmat Euphorbia maculata

(Spotted Spurge) Probably the commonest and most widespread sandmat species in the region, found in a wide range of urban and suburban habitats and even in farm fields and coastal dunes. Flowers June to September. A rather variable species, the dark spot may sometimes be absent but most plants have at least some leaves with blotches.


Habit	Leaves with dark spots	Flowering shoot	Close-up of flowers

Large Spotted Sandmat Euphorbia nutans

(Large Spotted Spurge) Generally found as a weed of arable fields and disturbed ground in gardens and urban areas. Flowers July to October. Differs from all other sandmats by its more upright growth. Leaves may or may not have dark blotches.


Habit	Flowers	Leaves with dark spot	Developing fruits

Seaside Sandmat Euphorbia polygonifolia

(Seaside Spurge) A common plant of coastal sand dunes and sandy beaches; occasionally found inland in sand pits and other suitable habitats. Flowers July to October. Differs from other sandmats by its more succulent leaves which are parallel-sided, giving them a rather rectangular appearance.


Habit	Flower	Fleshy stem and leaves	Seed capsule

Flowering Spurge Euphorbia corollata

A rare and localized species of dry, sandy soils on roadsides and old fields. Flowers July to September.


Leaves	Early flowers	Flowers	Flower close-up

Ipecac Spurge Euphorbia ipecacuanhae

Local in the northern part of the county, in dry, sandy soils of barrens and waste places. Flowers May to June. Low-growing, with slightly fleshy leaves which may be broadly rounded, grass-like or anywhere in between.


Habit	Early flowers appear at ground level	Later flowers on longer stems	Leaves sometimes grass-like

Caper Spurge Euphorbia lathyris

Introduced from Europe. Once popular as a herbal remedy and garden plant and occasionally found persisting in grassy places. Flowers June to July.


Habit	Flower	Leaves have central white stripe	Seed capsules

Cypress Spurge Euphorbia cyparissias

A fairly common garden plant, native to Europe. Occasionally spreads out onto nearby roadsides or spreads from dumped garden waste into sunny, grassy habitats. Flowers late May to July.


Habit	Flowers	Flowers close-up	Leaf

David's Spurge Euphorbia davidii

An introduction from further west in North America, first found in Cape May in 2014. Likely to remain a rare plant of disturbed places. Flowers July to August. Closely resembles the crotons and could be confused with them, but note the long, toothed leaves and the stiff bristle-like hairs on the underside of the leaves.


Habit	Flowers close-up	Leaves	Stiff hairs on leaf underside

Cape May Plants An Identification Guide