216 EUPHORBIACEAE 
2. Leaves subtending the inflorescence with pink or red basal centres 
2. Leaves subtending the inflorescence green .............04+ 
3 eae SECC COALISINOOU wsearcrestaerssserersestecsetestte 
3. Seed coat rugose, grooved or tuberculate 
Euphorbia 
E. cyathophora 
E. heterophylla 
4 
5 
4. Capsules 3-4 mm long, 4-4.5 mm diam.; seeds 1.7-2 mm long, 
156-2] mm diameerssserecresresererssccsteetemsrttetertiorttetes 
E. atoto 
4. Capsules 1.4-3 mm long, 1.8-3.6 mm diam.; seeds 1.1-1.8 mm long, 
O°S=15 Gm “diamisessssmmrreettrerttetrterectatttrrstccetertes 
5. Seed facets with 3-5 deep transverse grooves...........+. 
E. muelleri 
E. armstrongiana 
5. Seed facets rugose, tuberculate or shallowly transversely grooved ......c.ccssssssesesesssseseseesees 6 
6. Seeds 2.7-3.2 mm long, 1.8-2.3 mm diam; coat with large, 
flat-topped itubercullesperiscsrsss-ssressiersirtessecrttterititvenoecrietserraverrentiiossernieenttiteitreteiatets E. schizolepis 
65 ~Seeds'smaller than above; ‘coatrugose vaiis.sssitectisisssesestceseticsdescasetatocsteccsscasaccestssateeteesttes 7 
sue Gyathia\in'dense-tleafless. clusters sitresinaterectinateccestraraetateteistiet tite iiaristvers raictecesS eert 8 
7. Cyathia in loose cymes or solitary in upper axils; subtending leaves not reduced............ 9 
8. Stems with long yellow hairs to 1.5 mm long; 
capsules 0.9-1.2 mm long, 1.2-1.5 mm diam. .........cceesesessststsseteescseesessssseteeestseesseeteees E. hirta 
8. Stems without yellow hairs; capsules 1.6-2.2 mm long, 1.8-2.3 mm diam. «0... E. vachellii 
9 My Gynophore; glabroussicsssissctccssessscrerittrctercereee tiers: 
9 eee Gynophoreshatrygrcrccsctersssttcstisstsesrericjseetineterstrreses 
eHisirtnt phot stereo tecboseeecinaey: 10 
E. vachellii 
10. Capsules with short white hairs along the keels or glabrous, 
smooth, 1.3-1.6 mm long, 1.3-1.5 mm diam........... 
10. Capsules puberulous, often papillose, 2.3-2.8 mm long, 3-3.5 mm diam, ........seseeeeee 
E. armstrongiana Boiss. 
Decumbent or erect annual herb to 30 cm tall. 
Stems glabrous or thinly pilose with erect or 
spreading hairs to 0.7 mm long. Stipules triangular, 
0.2-0.7 mm long, margins lacerate. Petioles 0.7-2 
mm long. Leaf blades orbicular to elliptic, 7-18 mm 
long, 3-12 mm wide, glabrous, margins entire, apex 
obtuse, often with a small mucro, asymmetric at base. 
Cyathia in leafy, dichotomously branched cymes or 
small terminal clusters, 1.2-3 mm _ long, 
1-1.4 mm wide, glabrous. Glands 4, orbicular to 
oblong, flat to concave, c. 0.6 mm long, 0.3 mm 
wide. Gland appendages creamy-white to faint 
pink, entire, c. 0.2 mm long, 0.7-0.9 mm wide. 
Gynophore 1.4-2.3 mm long, glabrous. Capsule 
2.3-2.6 mm long, 2.3-3 mm wide, glabrous. 
Styles c. 0.4 mm long, glabrous. Seeds light brown 
or creamy brown, tetragonous, ovoid, 1.5-1.9 mm 
long, 0.9-1.2 mm wide, the facets with 3-5 deep 
transverse grooves. Flowering and fruiting: Mar - 
May. Fig. 72 
Endemic to the NT. On Cobourg Peninsula, in 
Kakadu NP and the DR as far south as Pine Creek. 
Usually on sandy soil or rocks. 
E. chamaesyce 
E. schultzii 
E. atoto Forst. 
Erect or decumbent perennial subshrub to 40 cm 
tall, glabrous, usually glaucous and reddish on 
foliage. Stipules broad triangular, 1-2.3 mm long, 
margins finely lacerate. Petioles 0.5-1.5 mm long. 
Leaf blades elliptic to ovate, 12-30 mm long, 7-15 
mm wide, margins entire, apex obtuse or acute. 
Cyathia in leafy, dichotomously branched cymes or 
small, terminal or axillary clusters, 1.6-2.3 mm long, 
1.5-2 mm wide. Glands 4, oblong, flat or concave, 
0.5-0.8 mm long, 0.2-0.4 mm wide. Gland 
appendages white or pink, entire or dentate, 0.1-0.3 
mm long, 0.8-1.2 mm wide. Gynophore 3.5-5 mm 
long. Capsule 3-4 mm long, 4-4.5 mm wide. Styles 
0.6-1.1 mm long. Seeds light brown or cream, + 
globular, 1.7-2 mm long, 1.6-2 mm wide, smooth. 
Flowering and fruiting: most months. Fig. 72 
Tropics of the Old World from India to Polynesia 
including northern Australia. Widespread in the Top 
End on coastal dunes. 
*E. chamaesyce L. 
Euphorbia prostrata Ait. 
Prostrate annual herb. Indumentum of white hairs 
