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34.) EUPHORBIACEAE - Spurge family

EUPHORBIACEAE - Spurge family

MERCURIALIS L.

  • Mercurialis perennis L. (Dog's Mercury) / Woodland Common Frequent in woodland and old hedgebanks and rarely in rough grassland; absent from most of the coastal lowlands and Bristol. Occasionally monoecious plants are found - a "specimen was noticed by Miss M. Young among some plants gathered near Eastville, Bristol." (White, 1912). "S. Rootsey..., gives 'Bristol Weed' as a local plant-name." (White, 1912).

  • Mercurialis annua L. (Annual Mercury) / General Common A frequent species of disturbed ground and urban areas; especially around walls and pavements though the map suggests It is possibly retracting in range. The var. ambigua mentioned in past texts was a monoecious oddity - "a narrow-leaved female plant with male flowers intermixed." (White, 1912).

RICINUS L.

  • Ricinus communis L. (Caster-oil-plant) General Extinct A native of north-eastern Tropical Africa; recorded on a railway siding between Shirehampton and Avonmouth in 1919 by C.I. Sandwith.

EUPHORBIA L.

  • Euphorbia maculata L. (Spotted Spurge) General Very Rare - 3 records A very rare introduction; recorded at Cadbury Garden Centre, Congresbury in 2003 by ? (still present as of 2020s - BSBI); found locally frequent along Hurle Crescent, Clifton, Bristol in 2016 by C.M. Lovatt; near Bath in 2010s by ?; and Stanton Drew in 2020s by ? [BSBI records].

  • Euphorbia serpens Kunth (Matted Sandmat) General Extinct - 2 records A native of the Americas; recorded at Avonmouth in 1959 by ? [specimen in BMAG Herbarium - find out!] and in a polytunnel in a plant nursery amongst imports at Old Sodbury in 2008 by P. Wilson.

  • Euphorbia prostrata Aiton (Prostrate Sandmat) General Very Rare A native of the Americas; recorded for the first time in our region at Bath in 2025 by S. Lockhart.

[Record in Nature in Avon, 2025.]

  • Euphorbia mellifera Aiton (Honey Spurge) General Very Rare A very rare introduction; recorded at Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol in 2023 by H.J. Crouch during a BNS meeting and at Portishead in 2020s by ? [BSBI record].

  • Euphorbia corallioides L. (Coral Spurge) General Very Rare A rare but increasing introduction; first recorded in our region at Winscombe, North Somerset in 1980s by ? [BSBI record]; then at Ubley, North Somerset in 2015 by M. Webster; Midsomer Norton in 2010s by ?; Combe Hay in 2020s by ? [BSBI records]; and found in several spots around Bristol in 2023 by D. Peters: by a gate entrance on Trym Road, Westbury-on-Trym; Henbury Road on the corner with Hyland Grove; along a verge on Kingsweston Road; and a form with purplish foliage in great abundance around Redcliffe Caves.

  • Euphorbia dulcis L. (Sweet Spurge) 1947 General Very Rare A very rare introduction; first recorded in our region at Leigh Woods in 1947 by C.I. Sandwith and has been recorded intermittently in the vicinity over the years - most recently in 2020s by ? [BSBI record]; found naturalised on a wall and grassy bank on Milverton Gardens meeting with Ashley Hill, Bristol in 2016 by R.J. Higgins [I know this spot - E. oblongata grows there in abundance. A mistake?]; over 80 plants at Bath in 2018 by R.D. Randall; and at Keynsham in 2020s by ? [BSBI record].

[Apparently also a 2023 iNaturalist record determined by Jon Mortin. Abi will check.]

  • Euphorbia villosa Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. (Euphorbia illirica Lam.) (Hairy Spurge) 1941 General Extinct Formerly occurred around Bath where it probably existed "for considerably more than three hundred years." (White, 1912 [as E. pilosa]). First recorded by Lobelius (1576) "In sylva D. Joannis Coltes prope Bathoniam" [In the forest of St. John Coltes near Bath] and Johnson (1634) "By a woodside, some miles south of Bathe." It was seen for the last time in 1941.

[I cannot locate the 1941 record. Where is it? BRERC's last record is 1919 by C.I. Sandwith]

  • Euphorbia oblongata Griseb. (var. oblongata) (Balkan Spurge) / General Uncommon Only first recorded in our region at West End, South Gloucestershire in 2012 by J.P. Martin. It has since made a rapid expansion and is now well-established in many places along streets, roadsides, railway lines and other disturbed places.

  • Euphorbia platyphyllos L. (ssp. platyphyllos) (Broad-leaved Spurge) / General Rare A rare but widely distributed plant of disturbed and cultivated ground; usually not found in any quantity and almost entirely confined to the east and central portion of the region. First recorded locally and nationally at Keynsham by Ray (1670) "Tithymalus platyphyllos Fuchsii, J. B....Nos in Comitatu Somersetensi non longe ab oppido Kinesham copiosum invenimus" [Tithymalus platyphyllos Fuchsii, J. B....We found it abundantly in the County of Somerset not far from the town of Keynsham.]. White (1912) gives it the better name of Broad-leaved Warted Spurge.

  • Euphorbia stricta L. (E. serrulata Thuill.) (Upright Spurge) / General Rare A rare but increasing introduction; historically only recorded from the Bath area. Not yet reported from the south-western portion of the region. Recorded in four places around Bristol by D. Peters: St. Mary's Churchyard, Henbury in 2022 and 2024; Egerton Road, Bishopston in 2023; on an ex-roadworks site at Horfield Common in 2023; and about 15 plants on a spoil heap behind Grow Wilder, Frenchay in 2025; and found alongside the path on Ram Hill, Coalpit Heath in 2025 by D. Hawkins. This species was formerly considered to be native in the Wye Valley but the current consensus is that it is a neophyte.

[D. Hawkins record in Nature in Avon 2025 (p. 194). Other records on BSBI so might not need to mention individuals.]

  • Euphorbia helioscopia L. (ssp. helioscopia) (Sun Spurge) / General Common Frequent on disturbed ground such as arable fields, allotments, spoil heaps and sometimes pavements. Wartweed is a local name to Gloucestershire (Riddelsdell, 1948).

  • Euphorbia lathyris L. (Caper Spurge) / General Uncommon An uncommon escape of pavements and rocky areas; often not straying far from gardens but long established in some places such as on Steep Holm where it has been known since Banks and Lightfoot discovered it in 1773 (a first British record) and was probably introduced there by the monks. It has also long been known from Warleigh Wood, Bath where it was formerly considered to be indigenous - "In Warleigh Home Wood, abundant in 1887 and of very large growth, some of the plants being three to four feet high. We were told by Mr. Skrine's keeper, who showed us the plant, that nine or ten years ago it had almost disappeared from the wood; but on the thinning out of the trees it came up again abundantly, and has been plentiful ever since." (White, 1912). It has long been proclaimed by some as a mole deterrent due to its toxic sap, giving rise to its other name 'Mole Plant' but this belief is nonsense! And has purportedly been used by beggars to induce skin boils to create sympathy for passers by.

deterrent to badgers

Bug Woman

  • Euphorbia exigua L. (ssp. exigua) (Dwarf Spurge) - General Scarce A annual of arable fields and other disturbed ground but occasionally occurring in bare spots in limestone grassland, mostly in the east of the region; scattered and rare elsewhere. In the past it was much more frequent and was quoted by White (1912) to be "almost as common" as E. peplus! - an unimaginable statement today.

  • Euphorbia peplus L. (var. peplus) (Petty Spurge) / General Very Common A very common and ubiquitous species; occurring in almost any disturbed or cultivated situation but particularly on pavements and is one of the top plants to be found flowering during the New Year Plant Hunt. The white sap or latex exuded by spurges as a defence against grazing animals, particularly of this species, was used in traditional medicines for treating various skin ailments and is being studied for its potential to treat some skin cancers.

  • Euphorbia portlandica L. (Portland Spurge) General Very Rare - 2 records A traditionally coastal species; recorded for the first time in our region as a casual at Winford, North Somerset in 2007 by M. Webster and at Portbury in 2015 by P.R. Green.

[Surely these are data entry errors? Records via SERC. Ask Helena as they are not on BSBI.]

  • Euphorbia paralias L. (Sea Spurge) / Coasts Very Rare Very rare but locally common along the coast at Sand Bay and more sporadically at Weston-super-Mare and Uphill. Also recently discovered at Portishead in 2020s by ? [BSBI record]. Only encountered once in the north of the region - at Severn Beach in 1996 by P.J.M. Nethercott.

  • Euphorbia myrsinites L. (Glaucous Spurge) / General Very Rare A very rare garden escape. Recorded for the first time in our region on quarry slopes at Sandford, North Somerset in 2004 by I.P. Green; at Clifton in 2010s by ? [BSBI record]; and found self-sown at the base of a wall on Broadway Road, Bristol in 2023 by D. Peters.

  • Euphorbia waldsteinii (Soják) Czerep. (E. virgata Waldst. & Kit.) (Waldstein's Spurge) General Extinct - (record on DB as E. esula agg. but as E. virgata in Sandwith (1932) Recorded at Ashton Gate in 1928 by C.I. Sandwith and at "Avonmouth Docks in 1936 by C.I. & N.Y. Sandwith." (Riddelsdell, 1948).

[Specimen needs checking as it might actually be E. x pseudovirgata or another member of the E. esula agg.]

  • Euphorbia esula x E. waldsteinii = E. x pseudovirgata (Schur) Soó (Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit.) (Twiggy Spurge) General Very Rare A very rare introduction; first recorded in our region at Portishead in 1960s by ? [BSBI record]; on disturbed ground at Nover's Park, Hengrove, Bristol in 1985 by R.D. Martin and in a hedgebank near the brilliantly named Nempnett Thrubwell, North Somerset in 1991 by the well-suited name of T.N. Twiggs and S.M. Hedley. Only recently recorded at Bath in 2010s by ? [BSBI record].

  • Euphorbia esula L. (Leafy Spurge) General Extinct - 1 record Recorded at Portbury in 1958 by N.Y. Sandwith [specimen in Bristol Museum - says E. esula ssp. tommasiniana which now refers to E. tommasiniana Bertol - needs checking as it might be referable to E. x pseudovirgata] and from North Somerset in 1980s by ? [BSBI record]. Additionally said to have occurred "as a casual from a roadside near Farley Castle [just outside the region], by Mr. T. B. Flower" (Murray, 1896).

[Other records exist as E. esula agg. (including a 1928 record from Ashton Gate), the majority of which are probably E. x pseudovirgata. Needs checking!]

  • Euphorbia cyparissias L. (Cypress Spurge) General Very Rare A rare introduction; escaping from gardens onto pavements and occasionally gets discarded. It was previously considered possibly native in a patch of limestone grassland near Midger Wood, not far from the north-eastern boundary of our region - where it was discovered in 1908 by I.M. Roper but it is now believed to be not native; possibly arriving with cattle or horse feed.

  • Euphorbia amygdaloides L. (Wood Spurge) / Woodland Frequent Locally frequent in old woodland and occasionally in scrub and hedgerows.

  • ssp. amygdaloides / Woodland Frequent The native plant; well-distributed but scarcely found in any abundance and has declined.

  • ssp. robbiae (Turrill) Stace (Mrs Robb's Bonnet) / General Rare The garden plant; widely scattered and well-naturalised in places but usually not far from habitation.

  • Euphorbia characias L. (Mediterranean Spurge) / General Scarce A frequent garden escape; becoming established on and around walls. First recorded naturalised in our region (as ssp. veneta) on the rocks by the public conveniences at Sand Point in 1953 by E. Rawlins (and still persists here). It has made an enormous expansion since the turn of the century.

  • ssp. characias / General Scarce The nominate plant with dark red glands on the cyathia; widely occurring but much less common than ssp. veneta.

  • ssp. veneta (Willd.) Litard. (ssp. wulfenii (Hoppe ex W.D.J. Koch) Radcl.-Sm.) / General Rare With yellowish glands on the cyathia; much more often encountered than ssp. characias.

List:

  • Mercurialis perennis L. (Dog's Mercury) / Woodland
  • Mercurialis annua L. (Annual Mercury) / General
  • Ricinus communis L. (Caster-oil-plant) General - "Railway siding between Shirehampton and Avonmouth, 1919" (Sandwith, 1932)
  • Euphorbia maculata L. (Spotted Spurge) General - 3 records
  • Euphorbia serpens Kunth (Matted Sandmat - GBIF, Matted Spurge?) General - 2 records
  • Euphorbia prostrata Aiton (Prostrate Sandmat) General
  • Euphorbia mellifera Aiton (Honey Spurge) General
  • Euphorbia corallioides L. (Coral Spurge) General
  • Euphorbia dulcis L. (Sweet Spurge) 1947 General
  • Euphorbia villosa Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. (Euphorbia illirica Lam. - Kew, GBIF) (Hairy Spurge) 1941 General
  • Euphorbia oblongata Griseb. (var. oblongata - Kew, GBIF) (Balkan Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia platyphyllos L. (ssp. platyphyllos - Kew, GBIF) (Broad-leaved Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia stricta L. (Stace) serrulata Thuill. (NBN) (Upright Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia helioscopia L. (ssp. helioscopia - Kew, GBIF) (Sun Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia lathyris L. (Caper Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia exigua L. (ssp. exigua - Kew, GBIF) (Dwarf Spurge) - General
  • Euphorbia peplus L. (var. peplus - Kew, GBIF) (Petty Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia portlandica L. (Portland Spurge) General - 2 records
  • Euphorbia paralias L. (Sea Spurge) / Coasts
  • Euphorbia myrsinites L. (Glaucous Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia waldsteinii (Soják) Czerep. (E. virgata Waldst. & Kit. - Kew, GBIF) (Waldstein's Spurge)? - recorded as E. virgata at Ashton Gate in 1928 by Sandwith (1932) [check as it might actually be E. waldsteinii x E. esula = E. x pseudovirgata (Schur) Soó (Twiggy Spurge)] General
  • Euphorbia waldsteinii x E. esula = (Stace, NBN) Euphorbia x pseudovirgata (Schur) Soó (Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit. - Kew, GBIF) (Twiggy Spurge) General
  • Euphorbia esula L. (Leafy Spurge) General - 1 record at Portishead from 1958 (specimen in Bristol Museum - says E. esula ssp. tommasiniana which now refers to E. tommasiniana Bertol.) - Needs checking as it might be referable to E. x pseudovirgata
  • Euphorbia cyparissias L. (Cypress Spurge) General
  • Euphorbia amygdaloides L. ssp. amygdaloides (Wood Spurge) / Woodland
  • Euphorbia amygdaloides ssp. robbiae (Turrill) Stace (Mrs Robb's Bonnet) / General
  • Euphorbia characias L. ssp. characias (Mediterranean Spurge) / General
  • Euphorbia characias L. (ssp. veneta (Willd.) Litard. - Stace, NBN) ssp. wulfenii (Hoppe ex W.D.J. Koch) Radcl.-Sm.) (Kew, old name) (Mediterranean Spurge) / General

Species to add:

  • Ricinus communis L. (Caster-oil-plant) - "Railway siding between Shirehampton and Avonmouth, 1919" (Sandwith, 1932)
  • Euphorbia maculata L. (Spotted Spurge) - 3 records
  • Euphorbia serpens Kunth (Matted Sandmat - GBIF, Matted Spurge?) - 2 records
  • Euphorbia prostrata Aiton (Prostrate Sandmat)
  • Euphorbia mellifera Aiton (Honey Spurge)
  • Euphorbia corallioides L. (Coral Spurge)
  • Euphorbia oblongata Griseb. (var. oblongata - Kew, GBIF) (Balkan Spurge)
  • Euphorbia portlandica L. (Portland Spurge) - 2 records
  • Euphorbia myrsinites L. (Glaucous Spurge)
  • Euphorbia waldsteinii (Soják) Czerep. (E. virgata Waldst. & Kit. - Kew, GBIF) (Waldstein's Spurge)? - recorded as E. virgata at Ashton Gate in 1928 by Sandwith (1932) [check as it might actually be E. x pseudovirgata]
  • Euphorbia esula L. (Leafy Spurge) - 1 record at Portishead from 1958 (specimen in Bristol Museum - says E. esula ssp. tommasiniana which now refers to E. tommasiniana Bertol.) - Needs checking as it might be referable to E. x pseudovirgata
  • Euphorbia amygdaloides ssp. robbiae (Turrill) Stace (Mrs Robb's Bonnet)
  • Euphorbia characias L. ssp. characias (Mediterranean Spurge)

Could occur:

  • Euphorbia griffithii Hook. f. (var. griffithii - Kew, GBIF) (Griffith's Spurge)
  • Euphorbia hyberna L. (Irish Spurge)
  • Euphorbia peplis L. (Purple Spurge)
  • Euphorbia portlandica x E. paralias (Portland x Sea Spurge)
  • Euphorbia esula x E. cyparissias = E. x pseudoesula Schur (Figert's Spurge)