Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula
Photo: parent species Euphorbia serpillifolia · (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Euphorbiaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula is a native California annual in the Euphorbiaceae family, recognized by NONE - geographically isolated; hairy habit with wrinkled seeds.
Thyme-leaved spurge is a California native annual found in dry woodland places at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces small, delicate flowers with subtle green-white hues. Growing with hairy stems less than 15 centimeters tall, it forms low, spreading clusters in dry habitats. Its small leaves measure 3 to 7 millimeters long, creating a dense, compact appearance. The mature seeds are distinctively wrinkled, adding textural interest to this diminutive plant.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: NONE - geographically isolated; hairy habit with wrinkled seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry places, woodland
Elevation: < 2500 m
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula blooms Aug-Oct.
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 serpillifolia subsp. hirtula native to California?
Yes. Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula bloom?
Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula blooms Aug-Oct.
What plant family does Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula belong to?
Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula is in the Euphorbiaceae family, genus Euphorbia.
What habitat does Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula grow in?
Euphorbia serpillifolia subsp. hirtula grows in dry places, woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.