A mat-forming annual Euphorbia, hairy or hairless, with oblique-based leaves. Fruits, 2 mm, are covered with projecting hairs (not just at the edges), or no hairs, bumpless. The leaves are weakly toothed or toothless, to 7(11) x 4.5(6) mm, leaf tips not pointed, slightly to rather greyish (glaucous) on 1 mm stalks. 'Flower' effect is formed of small but prominent white/pinkish appendages to the rounded yellowish/reddish floral glands. Seeds 1.2 mm, ovoid-quadrangular, irregularly tuberculate-rugulose, pale greyish.
In Europe similar plants are the other mat-forming Euphorbia, of which the fruit if hairy is the best distinguisher.
Subspecies as Flora Europaea has them -
ssp chamaesyce - hairless or pubescent, leaves smaller (<10mm) and rather roundish, often untoothed, tip usually notched. Petal-like appendages to glands up to twice the gland in width (so not more prominent than the gland), edge usually unlobed.
ssp massiliensis (DC.) Thell. - villous, leaves larger (to 10 mm), elongated, finely toothed (serrulate), tip rounded. Petal-like appendages to glands more than twice the gland in width (more prominent than the gland), edge often 3-lobed.
Sources: Flora Europaea,[2] Flora of Turkey [3]
