Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small

Prostrate spurge, spotted sandmat, spotted spurge, milk purslane

Similar species

	You are here Chamaesyce maculata	Chamaesyce vermiculata
Common Name	prostrate spurge	spotted spurge
Plant	Sometimes prostrate, only 1″ (2.5 cm) high; sometimes up to 3′ (91 cm) in height. Stems are green or pale to strong red in sunlight, heavily branched, with sparse tomentoulose hairs. They produce a milky latex when cut.	Sometimes prostrate, less than 1″ (2.5 cm) high; or up to 1′ (40 cm) high. Stems vary from green to reddish to dark red, and exude a milky sap when broken. They are hairy, with hairs that point out rather than being matted, ~1/32″ (0.5–1.5 mm) long.
Leaves	Opposite, oval but somewhat asymmetric, with one edge flatter than the other and fine serrations, ⅛–1″ (5–30 mm) long and about one third to one half as wide. Leaves often have a dark reddish blotch near the center.	Opposite, somewhat asymmetric, oval, ¼–¾″ (6.3–19 mm) long and one half to two thirds as wide, with widely spaced serrations, often with an irregular dark reddish blotch in the middle.
Flowers	Less than ⅛″ (3.2 mm) in size. They are cyathia with four "petals" that are white or light pink.	Nearly imperceptible at less than ⅛″ (3.2 mm) in size. They are cyathia with four "petals" that are white or light pink, appearing from July to October.
Fruit	1/32″ (1 mm) in size. Hairy.	1/32–1/16″ (1.5–2 mm) in size, hairless, with three lobes.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Disturbed soils, roadsides, gravelly areas, atop mulch, gardens, cracks in sidewalks	Meadows, fields, roadsides, disturbed soils

Chamaesyce maculata description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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