Red caustic weed

Chamaesyce prostrata

family

Euphorbiaceae

origin

Exotic

declaration

NIL

NIL

For information only

Common names

Blue weed, Creeping spurge, Ground fig spurge, Ground spurge, Groundfig spurge, Hairy creeping milkweed, Hairy prostrate euphorbia, Prostrate mat-spurge, Prostrate sandmat, Prostrate spurge, Red caustic creeper, Red caustic weed.

A small, short-lived, herbaceous plant with reddish or purplish creeping stems. Its stems and leaves contain a milky sap. Its paired leaves (3-8 mm long) are dark green to purplish and have entire or finely toothed margins. Its tiny reddish 'flowers' are borne singly or in small clusters in the leaf forks. Its tiny capsules (about 1.5 mm long) are three-sided, with hairs along the angles. These capsules have three compartments, each containing a single pale brown or yellow seed.

Leaf arrangement:Simple
Leaf form:Opposite
Red
Green
Purple

Impact

Impact

Red caustic weed (Chamaesyce prostrata) is a relatively common weed of gardens, roadsides, railway lines and disturbed sites in the region. It is rarely a weed of natural vegetation.

Location

Location

Characteristics

Characteristics

Similar Species

Similar Species

Control Methods