Annual or biennial herb to 80 cm high, multi-stemmed, the stems generally reddish, prolifically branched towards the tip. Leaves alternate, not clustered in rosette near the top of flowering stems; blades on stems oblong-obovate to lanceolate-ovate. Cyathia 1-1.5 mm wide, with ovate, fringed lobes; glands 4, transversely elliptic, yellow to brown-yellow.
Generally grown as an annual. Highly invasive and best not grown.
E. sikkimensis Boiss., Sikkim Spurge, from Asia is a perennial herb to 90 cm high, multi-stemmed, each stem generally branched (or only near top) and perennial. Leaves alternate, clustered in rosette near the top of flowering stems; blades on stems linear to lanceolate, 40-140 mm long, 8-22 mm wide; blades in whorl-head lanceolate-ovate, smaller than stem leaves; blades in floral head in 3s, ovate, 10-16 mm long, 6-10 mm wide. Floral head umbel with 5 or 6 rays. Cyathia with fringed lobes; glands 4 or 5, transversely oval with wavy edges, orange-yellow.
Europe, Middle East, Asia.
Source: (2002). Euphorbiaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.