Contents:
Common Names | Parts Usually Used | Plant(s) & Culture | Where Found | Medicinal Properties
Legends, Myths and Stories | Uses | Warning | Bibliography
Scientific Names
- Euphorbia lathyrus L.
- Euphorbia cyparissias L.
- Euphorbia corollata L.
- Euphorbia maculata L.
- Euphorbia peplus L.
- Euphorbiaceae
- Spurge family
Common Names
Euphorbia lathyrus:
- Caper spurge
- Garden spurge
- Mole plant
Euphorbia cyparissias:
- Cypress spurge
Euphorbia corollata:
- Blooming spurge
- Bowman’s root
- Emetic root
- Flowering spurge
- Milk ipecac
- Milk purslain
- Milkweed
- Snake milk
- Wild hippo
Euphorbia maculata:
- Black spurge
- Dysentery-weed
- Euphorbia
- Milk-purslane
- Spreading spurge
- Spotted spurge
Euphorbia peplus:
- Petty spurge
Parts Usually Used
Euphorbia lathyrus: Root and seeds
Euphorbia cyparissias:
Flowering plant
Euphorbia corollata: Rootstock
Euphorbia maculata: The herb
Euphorbia peplus: Root
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Euphorbia lathyrus:
Garden spurge is an annual or biennial plant; grows 2-3 feet high, the stems have opposite, sessile, lanceolate leaves, each pair growing at right angles to its neighboring pairs. The upper, floral leaves are ovate or ovate-lanceolate. The flowers from in 3-4 rayed umbels. The fruit is a nearly globular capsule about 1/2 inch in diameter; the seeds resemble capers. The plant is covered with a whitish bloom.
Euphorbia cyparissias:
Cypress spurge is a bushy, perennial plant; grows 4-20 inches tall, the stems contain a milky, acrid juice and bear alternate, sessile, linear to filiform leaves below and whorled, ovate-cordate leaves near the top. The greenish-yellow flowers have neither calyx nor corolla and grow in small many-rayed umbels from April to July. The fruit is a small, nearly globular capsule.
Euphorbia corollata:
Flowering spurge is a deep-rooted, perennial plant; the yellowish rootstock produces bright green, spotted stems from 1-3 feet tall. The leaves, without stalks, are thick, oblong to oblong-spatulate or linear, and sessile or short-petioled; the lower leaves are scattered and alternate, the upper whorled. What appear to be flowers are actually greenish-yellow glands subtended by white, petal-like appendages. These appear in terminal umbels from April to October.
Extremely strong laxative. The juice of the plant may cause blistering.
Euphorbia maculata:
Milk-purslane is a low annual plant; the hairy, prostrate stems and branches radiate to form spreading mats, from 4-30 inches in diameter, on the ground. The small, opposite, finely serrate leaves are oblong-elliptic to oblong-linear in shape and usually have a red blotch in the middle. The tiny flowers appear singly or in clusters from April to November.
Euphorbia peplus:
Petty spurge is a small annual plant; the simple or branched stems, from 4-12 inches high, bear alternate, obovate to roundish, petioled leaves; the upper, floral leaves are ovate. The bell-shaped flowers feature large yellow glands with spreading, narrow horns.
Another variety: The Chinese use a plant called spurge (E. helioscopia), the Chinese name is Tse-ch’i. Used for fevers, dropsy, and malaria.
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Where Found
Euphorbia lathyrus:
Introduced from Europe into the United States; became naturalized in the eastern states and in California.
Euphorbia cyparissias:
Introduced into the United States from Europe as an ornamental and now found as a weed, especially in the northeastern states.
Euphorbia corollata:
Grows in dry soil, fields, roadsides, from Ontario to Florida and Minnesota to Texas.
Euphorbia maculata:
Grows as a weed in waste places and cultivated soils throughout North America, except in the far north.
Euphorbia peplus:
Common in moist places as a garden weed in the eastern United States and in California.
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Medicinal Properties
Emetic, purgative
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Legends, Myths and Stories
Other varieties: Spurge (E. arenicola), was known as “Tubicai” by the Moapa Paiutes. A lacy green mat clinging to gravelbars. Tea from the whole plant was used as an eyewash. Also, Pill-bearing spurge (E. pilulifera) has been used (aerial parts) for asthma, as an antispasmodic, as an expectorant; used to reduce phlegm.
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Uses
The 5 species described all have the same properties and uses.
The milky sap has sometimes been used against warts. Should not be used without medical supervision because of danger of poisoning.
Euphorbia corollata:
Native Americans used the leaf tea of this variety for diabetes; root tea as a strong laxative (this is an extremely strong laxative), emetic, for pinworms, rheumatism; the root poultice was used for snakebites.
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Warning
The danger from poisoning from an overdose has all but eliminated the use of spurge, except in homeopathic preparations. The milky sap the spurges contain also causes dermatitis, and the fresh plants must be handled with caution. The 5 species described all have the same characteristic properties.
May cause poisoning, dermatitis, blistering of the skin; is an extremely strong laxative.
Use spurge (all the varieties described) with caution. Use only with medical supervision.
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Bibliography
The Complete Medicinal Herbal
Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Culpeper’s Complete Herbal & English Physician: Updated With 117 Modern Herbs
Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants
The Herb Book
Indian Uses of Native Plants
The Nature Doctor: A Manual of Traditional and Complementary Medicine
Webster’s New World Dictionary
