Euphorbiaceae FAMILY

Euphorbia hirta

Edibility

1/5

Medicinal

4/5

Safety & Hazards

The sap contains a latex which is toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally, causing photosensitive skin reactions and severe inflammation, especially on contact with eyes or open cuts. The toxicity can remain high even in dried plant material[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. Prolonged and regular contact with the sap is inadvisable because of its carcinogenic nature[ 214 Title The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Publication Author Matthews. V. Publisher Royal Horticultural Society Year 1994 ISBN 1352-4186 Description A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp. ].

Botanical Description

Euphorbia hirta is a densely hairy, prostrate to ascending, little-branched annual plant with one to several stems arising from a central tap-root; it can grow 15 - 50cm tall and wide[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for use as a medicine. An important medicinal herb, it is often sold in local markets and through the internet[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Euphorbia hirta is a short-lived weed that germinates and flowers throughout the year and can fruit in less than a month. It has become a very common weed of the tropics and subtropics[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeA pantropical plant, probably originating in tropical America and possibly native from S. America to southern USA.

HabitatWaste places and cultivated fields in lowland Japan[ 58 Title Flora of Japan. (English translation) Publication Author Ohwi. G. Publisher Smithsonian Institution Year 1965 ISBN - Description The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader. ]. Moist open places at elevations up to 1,800 metres in Nepal[ 272 Title Plants and People of Nepal Publication Author Manandhar. N. P. Publisher Timber Press. Oregon. Year 2002 ISBN 0-88192-527-6 Description Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses. ]. Cultivated fields, gardens, roadsides and waste places, from sea-level up to 2,000 metres[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].