Nomenclature

Species name:

Euphorbia paralias   L.

Author(s):

Carl von Linné
   Sweden, 1707-1778

General names:

Sea Spurge

Maltese name:

Tenghud tar-Ramel

Plant Family:

Euphorbiaceae   (Spurge Family)

Name Derivation:

Euphorbia = Named for Euphorbus, a Greek physician to Juba II, King of Mauretania. Euphorbus derives from eu, "good," and phorbe, "pasture or fodder," thus giving euphorbos the meaning "well fed." (Greek);

paralias = from the Greek paralos, "maritime," sometimes used with the sense of "blue like the sea" (Greek).

Synonyms:

Tithymalus paralias

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Confined to sandy seashores.

Sources in Malta:

Very Rare and Critically Endangered. Seems to be confined just to Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo and Ramla tat-Torri in Malta.

Plant Height:

Up to 75cm high.

Flowering Time:

Apr-Sep

This is another Critically Endangered species confined to sand dunes in our islands. It is now confined to just 2 sand dune areas one on each main island. It is a perennial growing up straight from the sand up to 70cm in height. It differs in the other sand dune species as it has thick hairless stems with fleshy, hairless and glaucous (bluish green) leaves. This species has densely branched stems from the base.

The Leaves reach up to 3cm by 1.5cm in length with the lowest ones being the largest and ovate (shape of an egg) to oblong in shape, whilst the upper ones are ovate in shape. They are densely grouped along with the stem, and are characteristically placed with the upper surface facing the stem (adaxial), and overlap each other. The leaves are glaucous (bluish-green) and have a smooth outline. They easily release a white milky substance when cut typical of Euphorbial species. The leaves underneath the inflorescence (the Ray leaves) are ovate in shape and look like the upper leaves.

This plant is monoecious (both male and female flowers are on the same plant). The flowers lack petals and are borne in umbel clusters (inflorescence of many flowers on different pedicels that originate from the same point). These umbel clusters are called Rays. Below these Rays are the Ray leaves, and these Rays end forming the Cyathium. There are usually up to 6 Rays in this species, and the Rays usually divide in twos (dichotomous branching). Along the Rays (especially when the Rays branch) lie the Raylet leaves which are orbicular (flat with a circular outline) to rhombic (with shape of a rhombus) and clasp the stem and the base of the Cyathium. They have a smooth outline.

The Cyathium consists of 2 bracts that have a similar shape to the Raylet leaves. Over them lie the male and female flowers. The male flowers are tiny and consist of a single stamen and lie over the gland. The gland is orange-brown in colour and consists of 2 small horns surrounding a notch. The female flower is much larger and is a round structure with the shape of a tiny pumpkin of up to 1cm in diameter and is yellow-green in colour. It has styles coming out of its apex.

The capsule is up to 5mm by 6mm in size and is deeply notched in shape. The seeds are up to 4mm in size and are oval in shape and pale grey in colour.

This is a species that is easy to identify since it is quite different in shape from all other members of the Euphorbia genus in our islands. Besides it is confined to sand dunes and its rarity makes it difficult to confuse this species with other species.

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