Euphorbia prostrata
Encyclopedia
Euphorbia prostrata is a species of euphorb known by the common name prostrate sandmat. It is native to the West Indies and certain parts of South America, but it is widely naturalized
in many other parts of the world, where it can be found in varied habitat types and in many areas grows as a roadside weed. This is an annual herb producing slender prostrate stems up to about 20 centimeters long, sometimes purple-tinted in color. The oval-shaped leaves are up to a centimeter long with finely toothed edges. The inflorescence
is a cyathium
less than 2 millimeters wide, with white petal-like appendages surrounding the actual flowers. There are four male flowers and a single female flower, the latter developing into a lobed, hairy fruit one to two millimeters wide.
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Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
in many other parts of the world, where it can be found in varied habitat types and in many areas grows as a roadside weed. This is an annual herb producing slender prostrate stems up to about 20 centimeters long, sometimes purple-tinted in color. The oval-shaped leaves are up to a centimeter long with finely toothed edges. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a cyathium
Cyathium
A cyathium is one of the specialised pseudanthia forming the inflorescence of plants in the genus Euphorbia . A cyathium consists of:...
less than 2 millimeters wide, with white petal-like appendages surrounding the actual flowers. There are four male flowers and a single female flower, the latter developing into a lobed, hairy fruit one to two millimeters wide.
Medicinal use
Euphorbia prostrata extract has been found effective for treatment of bleeding hemorrhoids due to its contents of flavonoids, phenolics and phenolic acids (http://www.bhj.org/journal/2008_5004_october/download/page-577-583.pdf). Euphorbia prostrata extract tablets have been marketed in India by Panacea BiotecPanacea Biotec
Panacea Biotec is an Indian research based pharmaceutical and health management company involved in research, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmaceutical formulations, vaccines, and natural products...
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