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Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system, WAHerb, and DBCA’s flora taxonomic names application, WACensus, have been set to read-only mode since 1 October 2025. Recent taxonomic changes are not currently being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or the census. Due to the rapidly approaching holiday season and associated agency and facility soft closures, along with the substantial work involved in data mapping, cleaning, and verification, the migration to the new collection management software is not expected to occur before 1 March 2026, when a further update will be provided. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

The notice period started at 9:45 am on Friday, 12 December 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Monday, 2 March 2026 +08:00.

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Euphorbia peplus L.
Petty Spurge

Reference
Sp.Pl. [Linnaeus] 1:456 (1753)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Alien to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Erect or procumbent annual, herb, 0.05-0.4 m high. Fl. green-yellow, Jul to Dec or Jan. Disturbed sites.

Grazyna Paczkowska, Descriptive Catalogue, 30 August 1996
Image

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain, Warren.
IBRA Subregions
Fitzgerald, Geraldton Hills, Katanning, Lesueur Sandplain, Perth, Recherche, Southern Jarrah Forest, Warren, Western Mallee.
IMCRA Regions
Central West Coast, Leeuwin-Naturaliste, WA South Coast.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Albany, Augusta Margaret River, Busselton, Cockburn, Cottesloe, Cranbrook, Denmark, Esperance, Fremantle, Gnowangerup, Greater Geraldton, Irwin, Manjimup, Melville, Murray, Nannup, Nedlands, Perth, Pingelly, Ravensthorpe, Rockingham, South Perth, Stirling, Swan, Victoria Park, Wanneroo.

Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)

Alternative Names. Radium Weed, Cancer Weed, Milkweed.

General Biology. Growth form. Herb. Life form. Annual. Reproduction. Seed. Dispersal. Ants, water, soil movement. Toxicity. Sap is poisonous and irritant.

Notes. Colonises degraded and disturbed sites. Contains natural insecticides. Seed has elaiosomes (fleshy appendages) allowing them to be dispersed by ants.

Additional information. Origin. North Africa, temperate and tropical Asia, Europe. History of use/introduction. Seed contaminant, medicines. Similar exotic species. Euphorbia terracina, E. lathyrus.

Suggested method of management and control. Spray metsulfuron methyl at 0.1 g/15 L (2.5 g/ha) + wetting agent or glyphosate at 0.5% while actively growing. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.

Management Calendar

Calendar Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Comments
Germination       O Y Y Y Y Y Y Y    
Active Growth       O Y Y Y Y Y Y Y O  
Flowering Y O O O O O O Y Y Y Y Y  
Fruiting Y O           O Y Y Y Y  
Herbicide Treatment         O Y Y Y Y O O    

Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.

 

References

  • Anon. (2002) Euphorbia peplus (Radium weed). Australian Naturopathic Network URL: http://www.ann.com.au/index.htm - Accessed April 2010.
  • Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
  • Gayar, F.H., Shazli, A.Y. & Abbassy, M.A. (2009) Toxicity of Euphorbia peplus L. (Euphorbiaceae) to insects. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Entomologie, 68 (1-4): 56-63.
  • Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
  • Pemberton, R.W. & Irving, D.W. (2008) Elaiosomes on weed seeds and the potential for myrmecochory in naturalized plants. Weed Science, 38 (6): 615-619.
  • Shepherd, R.C.H. (2004) Pretty but Poisonous. Plants Poisonous to People. An llustrated Guide for Australia. R.G. and F.J. Richardson, Melbourne.
  • USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program (2009) Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx - Accessed October 2009.