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Profile Date
Nov-07 (taxon update: 14-Aug-2017)
Citation for this page
Mifsud, S. (2021) Euphorbia melitensis profile created on Nov-07. Retrieved from MaltaWildPlants.com on 24-May-2022
Nomenclature and Basic Information
Species name :
Euphorbia melitensisParlatore
Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)
No Main Synonyms
Plant Family :
Euphorbiaceae Juss. (The Spurge Family) 23 species from the Euphorbiaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.
English name(s) :
Maltese Spurge
Maltese name(s) :
Tengħud tax-Xagħri
Status for Malta :
Endemic. Occurs only on the Maltese islands
Frequency :
Very Common Common Frequent Scarce Rare Very rare Extinct
Growth form :
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: Nano-Phanerophyte ( small trees to large shrubs, usually <5 m )
Germination [info]: Dicotyledon
Legal Protection :
Protected by law: Regulation 26 and Schedule III of [S.L. 549.44] (Strictly protected endemic species)
Red List (1989) :
Threatened status for the Maltese Islands and has been listed in the Red Data Book (1st ed.)
Flowering Time :
November – June
Colour of Flowers:
Inconspicuous or Green
Name Derivation :
Euphorbia: "Named for Euphorbus, a Greek physician to Juba II - King of Mauretania of Numibia (52-50 BC - 23 AD), who might have used a certain plant in allusion to his swollen belly, possibly Euphorbia resinifera. (Further info: [1][2]) Euphorbus can have been derives from 'eu-' = good and '-phorbe' = pasture or fodder, thus giving the meaning well-fed or fat-belly. ". (Greek origin )
melitensis: "Originating from or related to the Maltese Islands. ( )
Description, Habitat and Distribution
Habitat in Europe:
Species endemic to the Maltese Islands, not found in the rest of Europe
Preferred habitat in Malta:
Data will be available in the next update of this website.
Botanical Description:
Data will be available in the next update of this website.
Distributional map in Europe and the Mediterranean region (2018):
Kindly Email if there are papers and publications about local
studies or information about this species to be included in the list above.
Species Images (12 images)
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-0.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-1.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-2.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-3.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-4.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-5.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-6.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-7.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-8.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-9.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-10.
Euphorbia melitensis - Image Code: EUPMT-11.
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Atlas Flora Europaea
GBIF Distribution map
