Taxon: Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Summary

Genus:

Euphorbia

Family:

Euphorbiaceae

Subfamily:

Euphorbioideae

Tribe:

Euphorbieae

Subtribe:

Euphorbiinae

Nomen number:

16373

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:459. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

05/08/1992 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

8 (5 active, 2 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

CITES Appendix II – Vulnerable to Extinction

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Balakrishnan, N. P. & T. Chakrabarty. 2007. The family Euphorbiaceae in India; a synopsis of its profile, taxonomy and bibliography
CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. 1968-1974. The CIBA-GEIGY Weed Tables 60.3.
Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 164.
Demilly, D. et al. 2001. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 7 GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France.
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1408.
Ghazanfar, S. A. 1992. An annotated catalogue of the vascular plants of Oman. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2
Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
Munro, D. B. Canadian poisonous plants information system (on-line resource).
Ohwi, J. 1965. Flora of Japan (Engl. ed.).
Oudejans, R. C. H. M. 1990. World catalogue of species names published in the tribe Euphorbieae (Euphorbiaceae) with their geographical distribution
Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
Radcliffe-Smith, A. 1998. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
Riina, R. 2011. Review of Euphorbiaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 11 Jan.
Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	sun spurge		1	Radcliffe-Smith, A. 1998. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
English	wolf's-milk		1	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1408.
English (Canada)	sun spurge	Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 164.
French	euphorbe réveil-matin		2	Demilly, D. et al. 2001. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 7 GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France.
French (Canada)	euphorbe réveille-matin	Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 164.
German	Sonnwend-Wolfsmilch		2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1408.
Japanese Rōmaji	tōdaigusa		2	Ohwi, J. 1965. Flora of Japan (Engl. ed.).
Portuguese (Brazil)	leiteira-do-sol		2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)	maleteira		2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Spanish	lecherina		2	Riina, R. 2011. Review of Euphorbiaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 11 Jan.
Spanish	lechetrezna común		2	Riina, R. 2011. Review of Euphorbiaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 11 Jan.
Spanish	lechocino		2	Riina, R. 2011. Review of Euphorbiaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 11 Jan.
Swedish	revormstörel		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Madeira Islands		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Spain	Canarias		Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Libya			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Oman			Ghazanfar, S. A. 1992. An annotated catalogue of the vascular plants of Oman. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Saudi Arabia			Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Yemen			Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Armenia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Azerbaijan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation	Dagestan		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia	Ciscaucasia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Anhui Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Gansu Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guizhou Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hubei Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangsu Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Ningxia Huizi Zizhiqu		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shaanxi Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Honshu		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Kyushu		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Shikoku		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Korea			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Tajikistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Turkmenistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Uzbekistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Cyprus			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iraq			Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Israel			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Jordan			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Lebanon			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Syria			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Bihar		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Haryana		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Himachal Pradesh		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Jammu and Kashmir	n.	Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Punjab		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Tamil Nadu		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Uttar Pradesh		Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan		w.	Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Estonia			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Latvia			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Lithuania			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Moldova			Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation-European part	European part		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine		incl. Krym	Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Belgium			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czechoslovakia			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Denmark			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Finland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Ireland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Norway			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Sweden			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	United Kingdom			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Former Yugoslavia			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece		incl. Crete	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia, Sicily	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France		incl. Corsica	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain		incl. Baleares	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized					natzd. elsewhere	Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae

Native
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation [Dagestan]
MIDDLE ASIA: Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
CHINA: China [Anhui Sheng, Gansu Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Ningxia Huizi Zizhiqu, Shaanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Korea, Japan [Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku], Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India [Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir (n.), Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh], Pakistan (w.)
INDO-CHINA: Vietnam

Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden
MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland
EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym)
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Naturalized (natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)

Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Ghazanfar, S. A. 1992. An annotated catalogue of the vascular plants of Oman. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2
Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Vertebrate poisons	mammals		Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals		Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. 1968-1974. The CIBA-GEIGY Weed Tables 60.3.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=16373. Accessed 14 April 2026.