Prostrate and Spotted Spurge-Pigweed Family

 

Amaranthus blitoides

 

Characteristics.  These two annual weeds are considered the same species and both are common in western North America.  Ridge seeded spurge and creeping spurge also occur but are less commonly encountered.

 

Identifying Characteristics. As their name implies these annuals all grow prostrate often forming dense mats. Characteristically all prostrate spurge plants contain a milky juice that is readily visible when a stem is cut or broken.  The flowers are tiny, pink and occur in cluster at leaf axils.  As seen below their leaves are typically oval to elongate oval in shape, hairy and opposite to nearly opposite in arrangement. 

 

 

                                                                                                     Spotted spurge has a purple spot on each leaf.