Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
Euphorbia lathyris
Common name
Caper spurge
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Where found
Shrubland, disturbed sites, coastal sites, rocky sites, and near water. Widespread. Rare on the Western Slopes.
Notes
Introduced biennial herb to 1.5 m high. Hairless, more or less glaucous. Leaves opposite each other, 2–16 cm long, 5–40 mm wide, shiny above, glaucous below, tips pointed to blunt, bases sometimes slightly cordate, margins entire. Male and female flowers on the same plant. Flowers tiny, with 0 petals, in mixed clusters that look like a single flower, of one to many male flowers and one female flower. Glands surrounding the flower clusters with 2 club-shaped horns. Flower clusters single. Flowering: Aug.–Jan. Seed cases 9-15 mm in diameter.
Poisonous to humans and livestock. Its milky sap can cause dermatitis and eye irritation.
PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Euphorbia~lathyris (accessed 22 January, 2021)
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