Species name :

Euphorbia paraliasL.
Published in L., Sp. Pl. 458 (1753)

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

No Main Synonyms

Plant Family :

Euphorbiaceae Juss. (The Spurge Family)
23 species from the Euphorbiaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Sea Spurge

Maltese name(s) :

Tengħud tar-Ramel

Status for Malta :

Indigenous. Present on the Maltese islands before man

Frequency :

Very Common     Common    Frequent     Scarce     Rare    Very rare    Extinct

Growth form :

Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: CHAMEOPHYTE ( dwarf or small woody shrubs )
Germination [info]: Dicotyledon

Legal Protection :

Protected by law: Schedule III and VI of [S.L. 549.44] (strictly protected species)

Red List (1989) :

Threatened status for the Maltese Islands and has been listed in the Red Data Book (1st ed.)

Flowering Time :

April – September

Colour of Flowers:

Inconspicuous

Name Derivation :

Euphorbia: "Named for Euphorbus, a Greek physician to Juba II - King of Mauretania of Numibia (52-50 BC - 23 AD), who might have used a certain plant in allusion to his swollen belly, possibly Euphorbia resinifera. (Further info: [1] [2]) Euphorbus can have been derives from 'eu-' = good and '-phorbe' = pasture or fodder, thus giving the meaning well-fed or fat-belly. ". (Greek origin )

paralias: from the Greek 'paralos' = maritime since of the coastal habitat of this species, but sometimes used with the sense of blue like the sea for its bluish-green leaves. (Greek origin )