Acompletely glabrous much-branched prostrate annual herb with stems to c. 25 cm long, rooting at the nodes. Petioles 0.5-1 mm long. Leaf-blades suborbicular-ovate, 1-5 x 1-4.5 mm, rounded to emarginated at the apex, obliquely shallowly cordate at the base, entire, pale green. Stipules interpetiolar, fused above and beneath to form a triangular laciniate or fimbriate white scale 0.5 mm long. Cyathia axillary, solitary, in the uppermost axils; glands transversely ovate or oblong, purplish, with narrow, subentire white appendages. Frutis trigonous, keels carinate, 1.2 x 1.5 mm, smooth. Seeds ovoid, quadrangular, 0.8 x 0.5 mm, smooth, pinkish-brown.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: sept.-May.

Holotype: Venezuela, Sucre, ‘in umbrosis Cumanae prope Bordones et Punta Araya’, Bonpland 407 (P).

Distribution: Native of the Americas, introduced into the Mediterranean, S.W. Asia and Africa. On sandy clay in moist situations; near sea-level to 1640'/500 m.

A.R. Beg & W. Zeller R 122 from Rajeri, G-5 Hyderabad, is somewhat intermediate between E. serpens and E. heyneana Spreng. (E. microphylla Heyne ex Roth, non Lam.) with regard to the stipules, which on some branches are distinct and not fused together interpetiolarly.

Stewart’s records for Euphorbia chamaesyce, a European and extreme western Asiatic species, are probably referable here.