Weed Information: Euphorbia serpyllifolia (spurge, thyme-leaved)
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Euphorbia serpyllifolia (spurge, thyme-leaved)

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Description

This is a typical annual prostrate spurge which is distinguished from Chamaesyce glyptosperma primarily by the fact that the seeds of C. serpyllifolia are smooth or pitted and those of C. glyptosperma are coarsely ridged.

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • Red (or pink)
  • White
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Cyme (simple or branched)
  • Solitary, axillary
Number of Petals
  • 0 (no petals)
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers regular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • < 1 mm (< .04 inch)
  • 1 mm (.04 inch)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • < 1 mm (< .04 inch)
  • 1 mm (.04 inch)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
Number of Sepals
  • sepals lacking
Flower Sex
  • Unisexual (monoecious or dioecious)
  • Bisexual (perfect)
Number of Styles
  • Styles lacking (male flowers only)
  • 3 styles
Number of Stamens
  • stamens lacking (female flowers only)
  • 1 stamen
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens NOT attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
Number of Carpels
  • 0 (male flowers only or plants producing spores)
  • 3 carpels
Ovary Position
  • Superior (hypogynous)
Fruit Type
  • Capsule, 3-celled
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 1 mm (.04 inch) or less
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 1 mm (.04 inch) or less
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement
  • Opposite
Leaf Type
  • Simple (including lobed leaves)
Stipules
  • Foliaceous < 2 mm (< .08 inch) long
  • Foliaceous 2-4 mm (.08 - .16 in) long
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Palmate
  • Pinnate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole absent (leaf sessile)
  • Petiole < 25% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • < 5 mm (< .20 inch)
  • 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
Leaf Width
  • 1 - 5 mm (.04 - .20 inch)
  • 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)
  • Oblong
  • Obovate
  • Ovate
Succulence
  • Succulent
  • Not succulent
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Entire
  • Serrate
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Acute (cuneate)
  • Rounded
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Acute
  • Rounded (obtuse)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Glabrous (NO hairs)

Milky Juice
  • Juice milky
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Annual
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Prostrate
  • Spreading ascending
Plant Height at Maturity
  • < 1 cm (< .40 inch)
  • 1 - 5 cm (.40 - 2.0 inches)
  • 5 - 10 cm (2.0 - 4.0 inches)
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
  • 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
Wind Dissemination
  • Not wind disseminated
Moisture Regime
  • Mesic
  • Arid
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Stem Cross Section
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem uniformly leafy
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Tap Root

US State
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • Texas
  • Wisconsin
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Iowa
  • Idaho
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • New Mexico
  • Nevada
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
  • Nebraska
Canadian Province or Territory
  • British Columbia
  • New Brunswick
  • Ontario
  • Quebec
  • Alberta
  • Manitoba
  • Saskatchewan

  • Common Weeds of the Canadian Prairies, 1963 (Cat# A53-1136-1) See page: 38
  • Gilkey`s Weeds of the Pacific Northwest, 1980 (ISBN 0-88246-039-0) See page: 181
  • Ontario Weeds, 1992 Agdex 640, Publication #505 See page: 129
  • South Dakota Weeds, 1967 South Dakota State University, See page: 115
  • Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 285, 286
  • Weeds of Canada, 1970 Canada Dept. of Ag., Pub. # 948, See page: 114
  • Weeds of Colorado, 1990 Cooperative Extension, Colorado State Univ. Bulletin 521A, See page: 101
  • Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains, 1994 (ISBN 0939870-00-4) See page: 295
  • Weeds of the Northern U.S, and Canada, 1999 Royer and Dickinson, (ISBN# 1-55105-221-0) See page: 371
  • Weeds of the West, 1992 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 313
  • Weeds of the West, 2000 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 309
  • Weeds of Utah, 1971 UAES Special Report 21, See page: 56
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 X
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