About Euphorbia prostrata Aiton
Euphorbia prostrata is an annual herb that grows slender prostrate stems, reaching around 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) in length; the stems are sometimes tinted purple. Its oval-shaped leaves grow up to one centimeter (0.39 inches) long, and have finely toothed edges. Its inflorescence is a cyathium less than two millimeters (0.079 inches) wide, with white petal-like appendages surrounding the true flowers. There are four male flowers and one single female flower; the female flower develops into a lobed, hairy fruit between one and two millimeters (0.039 to 0.079 inches) wide. E. prostrata resembles both Euphorbia maculata and Euphorbia serpens, but its leaves and stems are often hairy, while the other two species are usually smooth. It differs from E. maculata in that its leaves are less elongated and less lanceolate. By comparison, E. serpens has much rounder leaves than E. prostrata, with relatively larger, more conspicuous flowers. The flowers of E. prostrata do not typically have the white "petals" seen on flowers of E. serpens or E. maculata, making E. prostrata flowers difficult to spot. Only E. maculata has dark spots at the center of each leaf, although this feature is not always present in that species. Extract of Euphorbia prostrata has been found effective for treating bleeding hemorrhoids, thanks to its content of flavonoids, phenolics, and phenolic acids. Tablets made with Euphorbia prostrata extract have been marketed in India and the United States by Panacea Biotec Ltd.
