Euphorbia glyptosperma
Ridge-seeded spurge, Ridge-Seeded Spurge
(c) Asher P Higgins, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Asher P Higgins · licence
Family: Euphorbiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Euphorbia glyptosperma (Ridge-seeded spurge) is a native California herb in the Euphorbiaceae family, recognized by divided stipules and few staminate flowers diagnostic.
Ridge-seeded spurge is a California native annual found in northern California Ranges near Redding in dry ground at elevations of 200 to 300 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces small white petal-like appendages with distinctive cyathia clustered at each node. Growing with prostrate stems that repeatedly fork and develop a two-faced structure, it spreads low across the ground with intricate branching. Its opposite leaves are small, measuring 3 to 15 millimeters long, with ovate to ovate-oblong blades featuring fine teeth and asymmetric bases. The plant produces small ovoid fruits 1.5 to 2 millimeters long, bearing distinctive white to light brown seeds with transverse ridges.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; divided stipules and few staminate flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry ground
Elevation: 200-300 m
California counties: Marin, Butte, Yolo, Siskiyou, El Dorado
Outside California: to British Columbia, eastern North America
Bloom period
Euphorbia glyptosperma blooms Jul-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Croton: Euphorbia bleeds milky white latex and packs its flowers into a tiny cup (cyathium) rimmed with nectar glands; Croton has watery sap, stellate or scaly hairs, and ordinary small separate male and female flowers.; vs Stillingia: Euphorbia flowers sit in a gland-bearing cyathium; Stillingia bears its flowers in a spike with a pair of glands flanking each subtending bract and has no cyathium cup.; vs Ditaxis: Euphorbia has latex and the cyathium; Ditaxis has clear sap, 5-parted petaled male and female flowers, and 2-forked (malpighiaceous) hairs.; vs Asclepias: Both ooze milky sap, but Euphorbia's minute flowers cluster in a cyathium and ripen into a 3-lobed capsule; milkweeds have showy 5-parted flowers with a crown and paired follicles of plumed seeds.; vs Polygonum: Prostrate mat spurges leak milky sap when torn and have paired stipules with opposite leaves at the nodes; knotweeds have clear sap and a papery sheath (ocrea) wrapping each node.
Frequently asked questions
Is Euphorbia glyptosperma native to California?
Yes. Euphorbia glyptosperma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Euphorbia glyptosperma bloom?
Euphorbia glyptosperma blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Euphorbia glyptosperma grow?
Euphorbia glyptosperma occurs in Marin, Butte, Yolo, Siskiyou, El Dorado, at elevations of 200-300 m.
What plant family does Euphorbia glyptosperma belong to?
Euphorbia glyptosperma is in the Euphorbiaceae family, genus Euphorbia.
What habitat does Euphorbia glyptosperma grow in?
Euphorbia glyptosperma grows in Uncommon. Dry ground.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.