Tengħud tar-Raba'
A small woody spurge with yellow-green flowers, found only in the Maltese Islands and strictly protected.
Maltese spurge is a small woody shrub whose inconspicuous yellow-green flowers open from February to May. Like other spurges it can irritate the skin and the lining of the mouth and nose, so it is best admired without touching.
The plant was first described in 1869 by the Italian botanist Filippo Parlatore.
It is a strictly protected endemic species and is listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands as threatened.
How to help
Admire it where it grows and leave it undisturbed: it is protected by law. Report damage to plants or their habitat to ERA.
Text: Online Flora of the Maltese Islands (Stephen Mifsud). Edited by the Editorial Team.
Photo: Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0.
