Eyebane - introduced (*Chamaesyce maculata)

Other names: Euphorbia maculata, Euphorbia supina, Spotted Spurge.

Family: Euphorbiaceae (Euphorbia family).

Native of America.

Occurrence: A lawn or footpath weed.

Identification:

• it is a small prostrate plant with oval leaves
• the sap is milky
• the plant is finely hairy
• the leaves often have a dark spot
• the leaves have a purplish tint.

This weed appears to have increased its range over recent years.

Name: maculata: spotted.

The native Caustic Weed (Chamaesyce drummondii) (or Euphorbia drummondii) is also a small prostrate plant with a milky sap. It is a common grassland plant in northern Victoria. It has greener (i.e less reddish) leaves and branches, and is hairless.

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