Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia

Euphorbia hirta L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 454 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & Subtropical America. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used to treat unspecified medicinal disorders, as animal food, a poison and a medicine and for food.

Descriptions

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb, usually prostrate, pilose with white appressed hairs interspersed by yellow spreading hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ovate, 1–4 x 0.5–2 cm, margin finely toothed, upper surface often blotched with purple; petiole 1–3.5 mm long; stipules linear, to 2.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre
Cyathia 0.8 mm in diam.; glands minute, green to purplish, with minute entire white to pink appendages Cyathia in dense capitate cymes to 1.5 cm in diam. on peduncles 5–15 mm long, occasionally subtended by 1–2 leafy bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles bifid almost to the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule just exserted, acutely 3-lobed, 1 x 1.25 mm, pilose with short yellow appressed hairs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds oblong-conical, 0.8 x 0.4 mm, with shallow transverse wrinkles, pinkish brown.
Distribution
N1; S1, 2 pantropical, native to central America.
Ecology
Altitude range 0–1370 m.
Vernacular
Geed caanood (Somali)
[FSOM]

Euphorbiaceae, A. R.-Smith. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1987

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb, prostrate to ascending, with branches to 50 cm. long, the whole plant pilose, including the inflorescence and capsule, with minute white adpressed hairs interspersed by yellow spreading segmented hairs ± 1.5 mm. long principally on the branches and especially on younger growth.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ovate, 1–4 × 0.5–2 cm., base very obliquely rounded, apex subacute, margin finely toothed, upper surface sometimes almost glabrous, often blotched with purple especially in the region of the midrib; petiole to 3.5 mm. long; stipules linear, rarely laciniate on lush specimens, to 2.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Cyathia
Cyathia in dense capitate, terminal and axillary cymes to 15 mm. in diameter on peduncles to 15(–20) mm. long, occasionally subtended by 1–2 small leafy bracts ± 1 cm. long; cyathial peduncles to 1 mm. long; bracts deltoid, deeply laciniate to 1 mm. long. Cyathia ± 0.8 × 0.8 mm. with cup-shaped involucres, usually tinged with purple; glands 4, minute, elliptical, green or purplish, with minute entire white to pink appendages; lobes triangular, fimbriate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Male flowers:bracteoles linear, fimbriate; stamens 1 mm. long. Female flower:ovary shortly pedicellate; styles 0.4 mm. long, spreading, bifid almost to the base, with thickened apices.
sex Male
Male flowers:bracteoles linear, fimbriate; stamens 1 mm. long.
sex Female
Female flower:ovary shortly pedicellate; styles 0.4 mm. long, spreading, bifid almost to the base, with thickened apices.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule just exserted on a pedicel 1 mm. long, acutely 3-lobed, with truncate base, 1 × 1.25 mm., pilose with short yellow adpressed hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds oblong-conical, 0.8 × 0.4 mm., pinkish brown, with slight transverse wrinkles.
Habitat
Cultivated land, roadsides and waste places; 0–2000 m.
Distribution
a very common pantropical weed native to Central America K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 P T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
[FTEA]

Euphorbiaceae, S. Carter & L.C. Leach. Flora Zambesiaca 9:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb, prostrate to ascending, with branches to 50 cm long; whole plant pilose, including inflorescence and capsules, with minute white appressed hairs interspersed by yellow spreading segmented hairs c. 1.5 mm long principally on the branches and especially on younger growth.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves with a petiole to 3.5 mm long; stipules to 2.5 mm long, linear, rarely laciniate on lush specimens; lamina 1–4 × 0.5–2 cm, ovate, apex subacute, base very obliquely rounded, margin finely toothed, upper surface sometimes almost glabrous, often blotched with purple especially in the region of the midrib.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Cymes terminal and axillary, densely capitate to 15 mm diameter on peduncles to 15(20) mm long, occasionally subtended by 1–2 leaf-like bracts c. 1 cm long; cyathial peduncles to 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts to 1 mm long, deltoid, deeply laciniate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Cyathia
Cyathia c. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, with cup-shaped involucres, usually tinged purple; glands 4, minute, elliptical, green or purplish, with minute entire white to pink appendages; lobes triangular, fimbriate.
sex Male
Male flowers: bracteoles linear, fimbriate; stamens 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flower: ovary shortly pedicellate; styles 0.4 mm long, spreading, bifid almost to the base, with thickened apices. Male flowers: bracteoles linear, fimbriate; stamens 1 mm long.
sex Female
Female flower: ovary shortly pedicellate; styles 0.4 mm long, spreading, bifid almost to the base, with thickened apices.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule just exserted on a pedicel 1 mm long, 1 × 1.25 mm, acutely 3-lobed with truncate base, pilose with short yellow appressed hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 0.8 × 0.4 mm, oblong-conical with obscure transverse wrinkles, pinkish-brown.
[FZ]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2800 m.; Andes, Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Pacífico.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Euphorbiaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit
An erect or decumbent herb, to 18 in. high, sometimes purple-tinged
Note
A common weed.
[FWTA]

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Distribution
Native from Colombia.
Ecology
Alt. 0 - 2800 m.
Vernacular
Atu rui.
[UPB]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–2800 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Boyacá, Caldas, Casanare, Cauca, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Quindío, San Andrés y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vichada.
Habit
Herb.
Conservation
National Red List of Colombia (2021): Potential LC.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
Vernacular
Atu rui (Sikuani), Fiafianae (Sikuani), Tripa de pollo (Sikuani), Yerba de pollo (Sikuani)
[UPFC]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
hierba de pollo, hierba golondrina, pimpinela, tripa de pollo, tripaepollo, vua, yerba de pollo, yerba de sapo
[UNAL]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Annual pubescent herb, the mostly erect stems up to 35 cm tall, clothed with multicellular hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ovate to lanceolate or rhombic, 1–3.5 cm long, pubescent especially on the under surface, the margins serrate; stipules lacerate, to 1 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Cyathia
Cyathia in stalked, dense, terminal and axillary clusters, strigulose throughout; appendages present or absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsules strigulose, ca. 1 mm in diameter; seeds reddish, wedge-shaped with sharp angles, ca. 0.8 mm long.
Distribution
Cayman Islands. Pantropical.
Ecology
A weed of open waste ground.
[Cayman]

Uses

Use Medicines Unspecified Medicinal Disorders
Medicinal (State of the World's Plants 2016, Instituto Humboldt 2014).
[UPB]

Use Animal Food
Used as animal food.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
[UPFC]

Common Names

English
Dove milk
Spanish
Tripa de pollo, atu rui, yerba de pollo.

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants of Boyacá Project

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/