Pictorial guide to the flora of the British Isles

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Euphorbia peplis L.

purple spurge (Euphorbiaceae)

 (No geographical data available.)
Plant Atlas 2020
BSBI Distribution Map

Euphorbia peplis used to occur on sand and shingle just above the high-tide mark on southern shores of Britain and Ireland (including the Channel Islands), but died out by the 1970s.

Skopelos, Greece; 2025-08-07

 purple spurge / Euphorbia peplis: _Euphorbia peplis_ used to occur on sand and shingle just above the high-tide mark on southern shores of Britain and Ireland (including the Channel Islands), but died out by the 1970s.

Euphorbia peplis creeps along the ground, but differs from E. maculata in having no hairs on its stems and capsules; it is similar to E. peplus only in spelling.

Skopelos, Greece; 2025-08-01

 purple spurge / Euphorbia peplis: _Euphorbia peplis_ creeps along the ground, but differs from _E. maculata_ in having no hairs on its stems and capsules; it is similar to _E. peplus_ only in spelling.

All images copyright © Christopher J. Dixon unless otherwise indicated.

L-R: Bidens tripartita, Melilotus officinalis, Mimulus guttatus, Thalictrum flavum, Ranunculus peltatus, Anchusa arvensis, Malva alcea, Lolium perenne