Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia paralias

Common Names: Sea spurge

Plant Form: Erect perennial herb. Size: Up to 1 m tall. Stem: Upright, fleshy 2-5 cm thick, bluish-green with milky sap. Die off after flowering. Leaves: Small, oblong to oval shaped, 5-30 mm long, thick and hairless, turn reddish with age. Densely overlapping on stem. Flowers: Tiny, yellowish green, crescent shaped in small cup-shaped organs. Clustered at the tip of branches. Fruit and Seeds: Capsule 3-5 mm long with three egg shaped seeds, in large green stalked ovary. Habitat: Dunes, beaches, estuaries, coastal grasslands and shrubland. Distinguishing Features: Can look similar to other spurges (Euphorbia species), but distinguished by growing location and densely overlapping, somewhat fleshy leaves. Impacts: Colonises and dominates dune ecosystems, limiting shorebird nesting sites. Toxic to humans.