| Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) Linnaeus, 1753 |
| Synonyms: Esula angustifolia, Esula vulgaris, Euphorbia virgata (see The Plant List for more synonyms) |
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Euphorbia esula is a spurge native to central and southern Europe, and most of temperate Asia; introduced to North America in the 19th century and presently widespread in the continuous United States and southern Canada. There is some taxonomic uncertainty concerning the North America non-native populations. Many authorities, including the Flora of North America, call them Euphorbia virgata, which is considered a subspecies of E. esula (E. e. subsp. tommasiniana) by The Plant List. Leafy Spurge grows in grasslands, sand dunes, shorelines, pastures, fields, roadsides, and other disturbed areas; 0-2,600 m. This is a perennial herb with rhizomatous root system. The stem is erect, glabrous; 20-110 cm. The leaves are alternate, linear to lanceolate, with entire margins; 3-10 cm long. The flowers are arranged in terminal umbels or cymes of 10-18; lack sepals and petals, but possess a pair of yellowish green bracts. The fruit is a globose capsule. E. esula flowers from mid-spring into September. In North America, Leafy Spurge displaces native vegetation and is considered highly invasive.
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