Euphorbia eriantha

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Euphorbia eriantha is a spurge plant known as beetle spurge, Desert Poinsettia, or Mexican Poinsettia. It grows in the deserts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, from California to Texas. It is considered Secure in conservation status.

This is an annual herb that reaches 15 to 50 cm tall. It has long, narrow, pointed leaves that are 2 to 7 cm long. Leaves can be green or dark in color, ranging from greenish to purplish or reddish, and some have sparse hairs. The tiny flowers appear at the tip of the branch and include both male and female parts. The fruit is an oblong, hairy capsule about 0.5 cm long, with gray and black mottling, containing bumpy white or gray seeds.

Flowering occurs for much of the year, with timing varying by location: February to October in Arizona, March to April in California, and January to December in Texas.