Chickenweed (Euphorbia hypericifolia, Sp. Pl.: 454 (1753))

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 454 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Euphorbia

Vegetable: Unknown

Observations: Trop. & Subtrop. America

Description

Chickenweed, known scientifically as Euphorbia hypericifolia, is a distinctive member of the Euphorbiaceae family. This plant has been documented in the seminal botanical work “Species Plantarum” dating back to 1753 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus, often abbreviated to “L.”

Euphorbia hypericifolia thrives predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions of America, showcasing its adaptability and resilience in these climates. The plant is often found in a variety of habitats, from open fields to more disturbed areas, where it readily colonizes and establishes itself.

Characterized by its sprawling growth habit, Chickenweed typically features small, green leaves and inconspicuous flowers that are often overlooked due to their tiny size. Despite the modest appearance, this plant plays a significant ecological role in its native habitats, providing food and shelter for various insects and small animals.

The plant also exhibits the typical milky latex sap that is a hallmark of many species within the Euphorbia genus. This sap can be a skin irritant, a defensive characteristic against herbivory. However, this does not diminish the plant’s ecological importance and widespread use in traditional medicine across its native range.

Understanding the biology and ecology of Euphorbia hypericifolia not only enhances our appreciation for the species itself but also underscores the richness of the flora in tropical and subtropical America. Whether studied for its botanical intricacies or its usefulness in ethno-medicine, Chickenweed continues to be a plant of notable interest and importance.

Common Names

Eng: graceful sandmat, chickenweed
Spa: golondrina, lechera, lechosa
En: Chickenweed, Graceful Sandmat, Graceful spurge, Tropical Broomspurge, Spurge
Zh: 通奶草
Fr: Euphorbe à feuilles de millepertuis, Euphorbe couchée, Euphorbe penchée
It: Euforbia indiana
Es: Golondrina, Lechera, Lechosa
Zh-tw: 通奶草

Synonyms

• Anisophyllum hypericifolium ((L.) Haw.)
• Chamaesyce hypericifolia ((L.) Millsp.)
• Ditrita obliqua (Raf.)
• Chamaesyce boliviana ((Rusby) Croizat)
• Euphorbia hypericifolia var. maculata (Klotzsch)
• Euphorbia boliviana (Rusby)
• Euphorbia papilligera (Boiss.)
• Euphorbia glomerifera ((Millsp.) L.C.Wheeler)
• Chamaesyce glomerifera (Millsp.)

Distribution

• Alabama (native)
• Argentina Northeast (native)
• Argentina Northwest (native)
• Argentina South (native)
• Aruba (native)
• Bahamas (native)
• Belize (native)
• Bolivia (native)
• Brazil North (native)
• Brazil Northeast (native)
• Brazil South (native)
• Brazil Southeast (native)
• Brazil West-Central (native)
• Chile North (native)
• Colombia (native)
• Costa Rica (native)
• Cuba (native)
• Dominican Republic (native)
• Ecuador (native)
• El Salvador (native)
• Florida (native)
• French Guiana (native)
• Georgia (native)
• Guatemala (native)
• Guyana (native)
• Haiti (native)
• Honduras (native)
• Leeward Is. (native)
• Louisiana (native)
• Mexican Pacific Is. (native)
• Mexico Central (native)
• Mexico Gulf (native)
• Mexico Northeast (native)
• Mexico Northwest (native)
• Mexico Southeast (native)
• Mexico Southwest (native)
• Netherlands Antilles (native)
• Nicaragua (native)
• Oklahoma (native)
• Panamá (native)
• Paraguay (native)
• Peru (native)
• Puerto Rico (native)
• South Carolina (native)
• Southwest Caribbean (native)
• Suriname (native)
• Texas (native)
• Trinidad-Tobago (native)
• Turks-Caicos Is. (native)
• Uruguay (native)
• Venezuela (native)
• Venezuelan Antilles (native)
• Windward Is. (native)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Bangladesh (introduced)
• Belgium (introduced)
• Bermuda (introduced)
• Burkina (introduced)
• Burundi (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Cape Verde (introduced)
• Caroline Is. (introduced)
• Central African Repu (introduced)
• Chad (introduced)
• Chagos Archipelago (introduced)
• China South-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Cook Is. (introduced)
• Cyprus (introduced)
• East Aegean Is. (introduced)
• Easter Is. (introduced)
• Eritrea (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• Ghana (introduced)
• Gilbert Is. (introduced)
• Greece (introduced)
• Guinea (introduced)
• Hainan (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• India (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Ivory Coast (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Kriti (introduced)
• Lesser Sunda Is. (introduced)
• Line Is. (introduced)
• Maldives (introduced)
• Marianas (introduced)
• Marshall Is. (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Mozambique (introduced)
• Myanmar (introduced)
• Nauru (introduced)
• Nepal (introduced)
• New Caledonia (introduced)
• Niue (introduced)
• Pakistan (introduced)
• Phoenix Is. (introduced)
• Sardegna (introduced)
• Senegal (introduced)
• Seychelles (introduced)
• Sicilia (introduced)
• Sierra Leone (introduced)
• Society Is. (introduced)
• South China Sea (introduced)
• Spain (introduced)
• Sri Lanka (introduced)
• Sulawesi (introduced)
• Taiwan (introduced)
• Tokelau-Manihiki (introduced)
• Wake I. (introduced)
• West Himalaya (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Jan 25, 2019 by PATRICK PREVOST (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 9, 2021 by ellen woods (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 26, 2019 by rousseau (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 24, 2022 by Jim Knopf (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 24, 2022 by Jim Knopf (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken May 30, 2022 by Jim Knopf (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 19, 2020 by Daniele Agnelli (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2022 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 6, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 24, 2022 by Jim Knopf (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jan 9, 2016 by EOL − Floyd A. Reed (cc-by)

Taken Sep 27, 2020 by c c (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2021 by ilja tutov (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 9, 2022 by Jesus Rodríguez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 25, 2021 by Dr Hadi Hakim (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Oct 24, 2021 by mortem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 8, 2022 by M. Hedayat (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 15, 2012 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Sep 15, 2011 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Oct 1, 2022 by Caw Vus (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jun 17, 2018 by Manuel Hernández (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 4, 2017 by Antoine AFFOUARD (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 4, 2017 by Antoine AFFOUARD (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 4, 2017 by Antoine AFFOUARD (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 4, 2017 by Antoine AFFOUARD (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Dec 8, 2022 by M. Hedayat (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 30, 2021 by Pankaj Sharma (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:101671-2)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3066321)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Euphorbia hypericifolia L.)

Specifications

Growth