Euphorbia serpens

Euphorbia serpens Kunth Nov. Gen. Sp. 2: 52. 1817; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 11: 294; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras. org vol. 12; Radcliffe- Smith, Fl. Pak @ eFloras.org p. 99; Euphorbia orbiculata var. jawaharii Rajagopal & Panigrahi, Taxon 17: 547. 1968.

Annual herb. Stem much branched, prostrate, frequently mat-forming and rooting at nodes, 15-25 cm long, 1-2 mm thick, completely glabrous, often green, sometimes purple. Leaves opposite; petioles less than 1 mm long, glabrous; leaf blade ovate, oblong to orbiculate, 2-5 mm x 1-4 mm, base obliquely shallowly cordate, margin entire, apex mostly emarginate, occasionally rounded, surfaces pale green without any red blotch, glabrous, usually only midvein conspicuous. Stipules interpetiolar, fused above and beneath to form a triangular laciniate or fimbriate white scale, ca. 0.5 mm long. Cyathia solitary, axillary at distal nodes; peduncle 0.5-1 mm long. Involucre campanulate to turbinate, 0.5-0.7 mm x 0.4-0.6 mm, glabrous, marginal lobes 4, glands 4, purple, reniform-rounded to oblong, 0.1 mm x 0.2 mm; appendages white to pinkish, equal, forming narrow rim at the edge of gland, 0.1-0.2 mm x 0.2-0.3 mm, distal margin entire or crenulate. Male Flowers: 3-5, not exserted, minute. Female Flowers: Pedicel ca. 0.5 mm long; slightly exserted from involucre. Ovary triangular, smooth, glabrous, 3-locular, one ovule per loculus; styles 3, free, bifid half to near the base. Capsules broadly ovoid, oblate or subglobose, trigonous, angles keeled, 1.2-1.4 mm x 1.2-1.5 mm, glabrous, smooth, fruiting pedicel ca. 2 mm long, columella 1-1.2 mm long. Seeds oblong-ovoid, bluntly quadrangular, ca. 0.8 mm x 0.5 mm, smooth, pinkish brown, ecarunculate.

Flowering and Fruiting: Almost throughout the year.
Common Names: Creeping or Round-leafed Spurge, Mattled sandmat; Dudhi (Hindi)