Euphorbia lathyris
Paper Spurge, Mole Plant
Euphorbiaceae
June to August
It is found mainly in southern areas and is patchily
scattered in the Midlands, the North and the far
Southwest.
See the BSBI distribution map for Caper Spurge
It is an archaeophytic, naturalised escape, which
grows on waste ground and woodland, and as a
weed in gardens and cracks in pavement and the
base of walls.
It can grow from bird seed and is thought by some
to deter moles.
Caper Spurge is a biennial herb, growing up to 2m.
The flowers are small with large leaf like, lanceolate
-ovate bracts up to 7cm.
There are numerous male flowers consisting of a
single stamen on a pedicel.
The female flower is a 3-part ovary on a pedicel, which
elongates when forming the fruit.
There are three styles with bi-lobed stigmas.
Glands are lunate with blunt horns.
Fruits are caper-like, up to 2cm across, tripartite and
poisonous.
Stems are erect with greyish leaves of up to 20cm.
Leaves have distinct light midribs.
In year 2, the stems lengthen to form the flowering
stems.
Caper Sprurge has been widely used in herbal and
folk medicine.
Previous page: Canadian Fleabane
Next page: Chicory
Caper Spurge, flower and leaf stems
Flower - many stamens, each on a pedicel
Fruit, stigmas, lunate glands
and blunt horns
Fruit, 3 stigmas, horn-lobed glands
Fruit - 3 styles, bi-lobed stigmas
Leaf-like bracts
Caper-like fruits
Non-flowering stems and leaves- end of year 1
Leaves
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