spurge

spurge spûrj [key], common name for members of the Euphorbiaceae, a family of herbs, shrubs, and trees of greatly varied structure and almost cosmopolitan distribution, although most species are tropical. In the United States the family is most common in the Southeast.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Euphorbias
• Other Spurges and Their Uses
• Classification

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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