Family: Euphorbiaceae
Common name: Gulf Sandmat, Thyme leaves spurge, Chickenweed, Dwarf spurge, Nilapaala, Duddhi, Red caustic creeper
Gulf sandmat is small, herbaceous plant very commonly seen in the wild in Kerala, in backyards, roadsides, open areas, paved areas, even in spaces with very little soil.
Plant characteristics
It is a small plant that can only grow to a height of 5-15 cm with a heavily-branched stem that spreads on the ground.
Each plant can spread to over 10 cm in diameter, with succulent reddish, slightly hairy stems, forming dense mats on the ground.
Leaves are small measuring 5-12 mm, roughly oval in shape. They grow opposite to each other on the stems and have roughly serrated margins. Leaves are light green, but shows a reddish tinge around the base and edges under specific growing conditions.
Flowers are tiny, about 1-2 mm long borne in small clusters in each of the leaf axils, the angle between the leaves and the stem. They are greenish-yellow in color, and do not have specific petals and sepals.
Called cyathia, these false flowers are typical of the Euphorbiaceae species, containing all the reproductive organs in a small cup-like structure.
Since these flowers grow very close to the ground, insects and ants are the main pollinators. Once pollinated, the Gulf sandmat plants produce small capsule-like fruits that contain tiny gray seeds which are dispersed when the capsule breaks open on maturity.
Growing conditions
Gulf sandmats can grow in a variety of soil conditions like sandy, loamy, salty, and rocky. They love full sunlight and are reasonably resistant to drought. They are mostly free from pests and diseases, but the plants can get damaged from grazing animals, heavy rains, and waterlogging.
Uses
As with all wild plants, Gulf sandmats also have various medicinal uses in traditional herbal medicine in the treatment of respiratory ailments, leprosy, diabetes, worms, inflammations, insect bites, hypertension, digestive disorders, and skin infections.
Propagation is through seeds and stem cuttings. They are annual plants but can self-seed to create the next generation of plants.
Photographed at: Koonammavu, Kerala
