Euphorbia characias L.

Albanian spurge (en), Euphorbe des vallons (fr), Euphorbe characias (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Malpighiales > Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia

Characteristics

Tomentose, stout, shrubby, herbaceous perennial. Biennial stems 50-80-(120) cm high, not branched at base. Lvs alternate, exstipulate, sessile, entire, linear or oblanceolate, cuneate at base, acute and often shortly mucronate, c. 40-100 mm long; margins revolute. Terminal umbel with numerous rays, and many axillary rays arising below; lvs subtending rays similar to stem lvs but usually shorter and broader; rays sometimes secondarily divided and then forming simple or compound dichasia; lvs subtending ray-branches and cyathia broadly ovate to elliptic, connate at base. Glands yellowish, crescent-shaped; horns short, broad or slender. Capsule villous, smooth, deeply grooved, rounded or slightly ridged on keels. Seeds smooth, rounded, light brown or grey, c. 3 mm long.
More
A herb.
Life form perennial
Growth form
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention
Sexuality monoecy
Pollination entomogamy
Spread myrmecochory
Mature width (meter) 1.0 - 1.5
Mature height (meter) 1.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a Mediterranean climate plant.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 1-5
Soil texture 4-6
Soil acidity 2-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 7-9

Usage

The latex is used to curdle milk.
Uses environmental use medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use Wart (unspecified), Corn (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or divisions. Seeds needs soaking.
Mode cuttings divisions
Germination duration (days) 10 - 15
Germination temperacture (C°) 13 - 16
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -18
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Euphorbia characias habit picture by Paul FRANCK (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias habit picture by momo (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias habit picture by Jean Gauberti (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Euphorbia characias leaf picture by NICOLAS VERON (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias leaf picture by carmine (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias leaf picture by Adán Adán (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Euphorbia characias flower picture by Marie Terrier (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias flower picture by SoFie SoFie (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias flower picture by Ivanhoé TANAGROTAS (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Euphorbia characias fruit picture by Mamano Xavier (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias fruit picture by Yann Samuelides (cc-by-sa)
Euphorbia characias fruit picture by Geoffrey Kahala (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Euphorbia characias world distribution map, present in Albania, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Morocco, New Zealand, Portugal, Turks and Caicos Islands, and United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:346016-1
WFO ID wfo-0000961343
COL ID 6GYTX
BDTFX ID 25806
INPN ID 97478
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Esula characias Euphorbia rubens Tithymalus characias Euphorbia characias var. eriocarpa Euphorbia characias subsp. veneta Euphorbia characias var. veneta Euphorbia characias

Lower taxons

Euphorbia characias subsp. characias Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii