Euphorbia ophthalmica Pers., Euphorbiaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Chamaesyce ophthalmica (Pers.) D. G. Burch

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Florida hammock sandmat

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb, annual; stems to several, to 1 mm thick, prostrate or decumbent to 15 cm long, branching throughout their length, densely tomentose at tips, usually with long multicellular hairs; leaves membranous; stipules distinct or joined at base, somewhat lacerate to 1 mm long; blades elliptic or markedly rhombic, 8-20 mm long, 3-12 mm wide, base rounded to cuneate, margin serrate, sometimes obscurely so, apex obtuse to acute, cyathia in dense terminal glomerules, often 2 at apex of each stem or on short leafy laterals; glands minute, purple, the appendages obsolete; male flowers 2-9 per cyathium; style joined at base, bifid for half its length; capsule ovoid, strigose, to 1 mm long, 1 mm wide; seed cuneiform, 0.8 mm long, 0.4 mm wide, strongly 4-angled, angles subequal, the faces concave, obscurely transversely ridged or wrinkled"  (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 579-589).

Habitat/ecology:  "A common weed throughout much of the American tropics" (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 579-589).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Southern United States, West Indies, Mexico, South America; naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Fernandina Group	Fernandina Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Santiago Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Georgia, Louisiana
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Naturalized around Brisbane, Australia (Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.).

Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands; probably introduced per Charles Darwin Research Station.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Euphorbia ophthalmica, please let us know.