Euphorbia paralias - © Charles Hipkin
Euphorbia paralias Sea Spurge
Llaeth y Famaeth
Linnaeus
A robust, perennial spurge with thick, grey-green foliage which grows in open sandy areas and shingle in coastal habitats. It is a significant component of open fore dune communities (e.g. SD4 in the National Vegetation Classification scheme) where it grows with species like Maram Grass (Ammophila arenaria), Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum) and Sea Bindweed (Calystegia soldanella). It could be confused with Portland Spurge (Euphorbia portlandica) whose leaves, unlike those of Sea Spurge, have a midrib which is prominent from below. Like other spurges, Sea Spurge exude a sticky, acid, white latex which contains rubber when damaged or broken. It has an exclusively coastal distribution in Britain and Ireland but is absent from most of Scotland.
