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''Euphorbia myrsinites'', the myrtle spurge, blue spurge, or broad-leaved glaucous-spurge, is a succulent
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...
of flowering plant in the
spurge ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...
family Euphorbiaceae.


Distribution

The plant is
native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...
to
southeastern Europe Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe (SEE) is a geographical subregion of Europe, consisting primarily of the Balkans. Sovereign states and territories that are included in the region are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia (a ...
and
Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
, from Italy east through the Balkans to
Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a po ...
and Turkey.''Flora Europaea''
''Euphorbia myrsinites''
/ref>


Etymology

The specific epithet ''myrsinites'' is derived from the Greek word (''myrsinites''), which was used in Dioscorides's ''De Materia Medica'' to describe its similarity to (''myrsine''), aka myrtle ('' Myrtus communis'').


Description

Myrtle spurge is an evergreen
perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
. It has sprawling stems growing to 20–40 cm long. The
leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
are spirally arranged, fleshy, pale
glaucous ''Glaucous'' (, ) is used to describe the pale grey or bluish-green appearance of the surfaces of some plants, as well as in the names of birds, such as the glaucous gull (''Larus hyperboreus''), glaucous-winged gull (''Larus glaucescens''), gl ...
bluish-green, 1–2 cm long. The flowers are inconspicuous, but surrounded by bright sulphur-yellow bracts (tinged red in the cultivar 'Washfield'); they are produced during the spring.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Plants spread primarily by seed and are capable of projecting seed up to 15 feet.


Toxicity

The plant's milky sap can cause significant skin and eye irritation in humans and may cause blindness with contact with the eyes. The plant causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea when ingested. Goggles, gloves and protective gear is often used when removing plants. Children are more susceptible than adults to symptoms from myrtle spurge, suggesting play areas not in proximity to the species. Pets can have similar reactions to myrtle spurge sap exposure.


Cultivation

''Euphorbia myrsinites'' is cultivated as an ornamental plant for its distinctive silver-gray foliage, and is used in garden borders, 'modernist' mass plantings, and as a potted plant. It is planted in drought tolerant gardens in California and other dry climates. In the United Kingdom, the cultivated plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's
Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...
.


Noxious weed

''Euphorbia myrsinites'' is identified as a noxious weed and/or invasive species in some regions. * Its cultivation is illegal in the U.S. state of
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
, where it is classified as a Class A noxious weed, and landowners are legally required to eradicate it. * Myrtle spurge is also classified as a noxious weed in the U.S. state of Oregon, subject to quarantine. * It was listed as a noxious weed in Salt Lake County, Utah in 2007, and since has been illegal for sale within the county. Salt Lake County landowners and land managers are legally responsible to contain, control, or eradicate the species on their property. The
Utah Native Plant Society The Utah Native Plant Society (UNPS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation, preservation, conservation and responsible use of the native plants and plant communities found in the state of Utah and the Intermountain West. Its ...
has also formally recommended it be listed as a Utah state noxious weed.


Control

;Physical control: Small infestations can be controlled through multiple years of digging up at least 4" of the root. Myrtle spurge is best controlled in the spring when the soil is moist and prior to seed production. Make sure to dispose of all the plant parts in the garbage instead of composting. ;Chemical control: Myrtle spurge can be effectively controlled with products containing 2, 4-D and dicamba (i.e. Weed B Gon) applied in late fall. ;Biological control: There are currently no known bio-controls, though the leafy spurge flea beetle ( Aphthona), has had a high survival rate on myrtle spurge in laboratory studies.


References


External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2305124 myrsinites Flora of Europe Flora of Bulgaria Flora of Greece Flora of Italy Flora of Romania Flora of Slovenia Flora of Ukraine Flora of the Crimean Peninsula Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Garden plants of Europe Drought-tolerant plants