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Glite Dictionary
Euphorbia marginata

Euphorbia marginata

9.9
A low annual garden plant with white-edged leaves and poisonous milky sap
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Euphorbia marginata
  • Wear gloves when handling Euphorbia marginata because its milky sap is highly toxic.

Examples

  • The garden was lined with Euphorbia marginata, its white-edged leaves providing a striking contrast to the green lawn.

  • Euphorbia marginata is often grown as an ornamental plant for its decorative foliage.

  • The Euphorbia marginata is often found in dry, sandy soils.

  • Many gardeners admire the Euphorbia marginata for its unique appearance.

  • When planting a garden, it is important to remember that Euphorbia marginata contains poisonous sap, so wear gloves while handling it.

  • The vibrant white bracts of Euphorbia marginata make it a popular choice for decorative landscaping in dry areas.

  • In many western gardens, Euphorbia marginata stands out with its striking foliage and ornamental appeal.

Synonyms

snow-on-the-mountain
vsEuphorbia marginata
  • US
9.9

A plant with white showy flowers and poisonous milky sap

is the descriptive form that does not include the scientific name
ghost weed
vsEuphorbia marginata
  • US
9.9

A plant with bright white flower clusters and poisonous milky sap

is stronger in tone and calls the sap extremely poisonous

Surface Forms

Euphorbia marginata singular
Euphorbia marginatas plural

Morphology

Euphorbia + marginata

This is a Linnaean binomial combining the genus name 'Euphorbia' (a plant genus) with the Latin adjective 'marginata' (meaning 'margined' or 'having a margin'), so the phrase denotes a Euphorbia species with distinctive margins. Given knowledge of both constituents, the species name is descriptive and compositionally transparent rather than idiomatic, so learners can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Euphorbia marginata was named for the ancient doctor Euphorbus and the Latin word marginata meaning 'with a margin' or 'edge'. This gives a clear picture: the plant really has white-edged leaves and a milky sap that is 'poisonous', so the name helps you remember its showy edges and its danger.