Acta Botanica Hungarica 54(3–4), pp. 235–243, 2012 DOI: 10.1556/ABot.54.2012.3–4.2

EUPHORBIA PROSTRATA (), A NEW ALIEN IN THE CARPATHIAN BASIN

Z. BÁTORI1, L. ERDŐS1 and L. SOMLYAY2 1Department of Ecology, University of Szeged, H-6726 Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Hungary E-mails: [email protected], [email protected] 2Department of Botany, Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1087 Budapest, Könyves Kálmán körút 40, Hungary

(Received 19 April, 2012; Accepted 15 June, 2012)

During the study of the urban flora of the city of Szeged (southern Hungary) in 2011, about 100 specimens of prostrata Aiton, a new alien for the Hungarian flora, were found in a city park. Characterisation of the locality is provided. This record, being the one and only in the Carpathian Basin so far, confirms former observations that this meridional-sub- tropical species is in expansion in many parts of the world, including proper habitats of the temperate regions. A key for all species of the genus Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce for the region is given.

Key words: alien, Carpathian Basin, , Hungary, range expansion, urban flora

INTRODUCTION

The genus Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce contains about 10 native or naturalised species in Europe. Most of them are of American origin, while E. humifusa is native in Asia, E. chamaesyce and E. peplis are native in Africa and Eurasia (Smith and Tutin 1968, Hügin 1998). Up to now, 5 representatives of this subgenus (E. chamaesyce, E. glyptosperma, E. humifusa, E. maculata, E. nu- tans) have been registered in the Carpathian Basin (Jávorka 1924–1925, Prodan 1953, Oprea 2005, Somlyay 2009). Except E. chamaesyce, they all occur in Hun- gary (Somlyay 2009, Király et al. 2010), but only E. maculata is known in Slovakia (Eliáš 2009). According to Balogh et al. (2004) and Somlyay (2009), these species are casual or naturalised, but not invasive aliens in this region. Although Euphorbia prostrata (syn.: Chamaesyce prostrata (Aiton) Small, Tithymalus prostratus (Aiton) Samp.) occurs in some countries of SE Europe, it

0236–6495/$ 20.00 © 2012 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 236 BÁTORI, Z., ERDŐS, L. and SOMLYAY, L. has only been recorded outside the Carpathian Basin. The species is expanding its distribution along the Adriatic coast (Smith and Tutin 1968, Pulević 1984, Trpin 1997, Milović and Randić 2001) and different parts of Austria (Fischer 2005). E. prostrata has recently been discovered in Bucharest, Romania (Anas- tasiu and Negrean 2008).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

During field studies of city parks and riversides of Szeged in September 2011, an Euphorbia species unknown for the authors was found between the former floodplains of the Maros and Tisza rivers (Fig. 1). The taxon was identi- fied as E. prostrata by the third author, using the key given by Hügin (1998). Vouchers were deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Buda- pest (BP). To characterise the habitat of the species, a2m×2mplot was taken ac- cording to the Braun-Blanquet methodology (Mueller-Dombois and Ellenberg 1974). Latitude and longitude of the site were determined by GPS.

Fig. 1. Location of Euphorbia prostrata in the city of Szeged (southern Hungary)

Acta Bot. Hung. 54, 2012 EUPHORBIA PROSTRATA, A NEW ALIEN IN THE CARPATHIAN BASIN 237

Since E. prostrata is usually lacking in regional keys (e.g. Ciocârlan 2000, Domac 2002, Király 2009), a new user-friendly key for all species of the Eu- phorbia subgenus Chamaesyce for the Carpathian Basin and Croatia is provided. Finally, an overview of the occurrence of E. prostrata in different parts of the world is given.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Euphorbia prostrata is an annual vascular with the height of 1–10 cm. The procumbent stems are usually glabrous below, pubescent above. The (2–)8–10(–15) × (1–)4–6(–8) mm are ovate, obtuse, asymmetrical at the base, serrulate to subentire, sparsely pubescent to glabrescent on both sur- faces, with ca 1 mm long petioles. Stipules are triangular, the uppers are free, and the lowers are often connate. Cyathium glands are transversely ovate, with small appendages. Capsules are hairy only on the keels and at base. The 1 mm long seeds are ovoid-quadrangular, sharply angled, with 5–8 transverse grooves (Fig. 2). E. prostrata occurs in a regularly mown grass lawn of a city park in Sze- ged. The following species were found in the plot: Bellis perennis 1, Cerastium sp. +, Convolvulus arvensis 2, Eragrostis pilosa +, Erigeron canadensis +, Euphorbia prostrata 1, Helminthia echioides +, Lolium perenne 2, Medicago sp. +, Oxalis corniculata 1, Poa sp. 2, Polygonum aviculare agg. 1, Portulaca oleracea +, Potentilla reptans +, Prunella vulgaris 2, Setaria viridis +, Stellaria media agg. +, Stenactis annua +, Taraxacum officinale 3, Verbena officinalis +, Veronica sp. +, Viola sp. +. Relevé was made by Z. Bátori and L. Erdős, date: 29.09.2011, location: Hungary/Szeged, position (Gauss–Krüger coordinates): 4435913, 5123878, al- titude: 80 m a.s.l., total plant cover: 90%, plot size: 2m×2m.Vegetation height: 5 cm, cover abundance scale: »Braun-Blanquet«. In October 2011, E. prostrata was found in another grass lawn occurring near the former habitat. In this place, the species is spreading rapidly not only in the lawn but also along the kerbs (Fig. 3). Geographically, the nearest occur- rence of E. prostrata has been reported from the city of Vienna (ca 350 km from Szeged). To reveal the main differences among the Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce species of the region, the authors suggest the following key. 1a Plant glabrous 2 1b Plant hairy (sometimes only sparsely or inconspicuously; loupe!). Except 7a, leaves may be dark spotted 5

Acta Bot. Hung. 54, 2012 238 BÁTORI, Z., ERDŐS, L. and SOMLYAY, L.

2a Capsule at least 3 mm long. Seed smooth, at least 2 mm long, rounded at base, apiculate at top. Leaves at most 3× as long as wide, very asymmet- ric, without spots [Chamaesyce peplis (L.) Prokh.] E. peplis L. 2b Capsule at most 2 mm long. Seed at most 1.5 mm long 3 3a Seed evidently rugose (with 4–7 transverse grooves), cut grounded, api- culate at top. Leaves 2–4 times as long as wide, often slightly curved, without spots. ± ascending (at least when young) [Chamaesyce glyptosperma (Engelm.) Small] E. glyptosperma Engelm. 3b Seed-coat different, seed ± rounded at base. Plants usually prostrate 4 4a Seed ruminate or irregularly reticulate-foveate, rounded at top. Leaves 1–1.5(–2) times as long as wide, often dark spotted [Chamaesyce canescens (L.) Prokh., see 7b] E. chamaesyce L. 4b Seed smooth (or at most frosted), apiculate at top. Leaves 1.5–2.5 times as long as wide, without spots [Chamaesyce humifusa (Willd.) Prokh.] E. humifusa Willd. 5a Capsule glabrous. Cyathia mostly grouped at the end of stems. Leaves 2–3(–3.5) times as long as wide, bigger ones often more than 15 mm long. Ripe seed of blackish colour, seed-coat wrinkled or coarse. Plant usually ascending (up to 60 cm!) [Chamaesyce nutans (Lag.) Small] E. nutans Lag. 5b Capsule hairy. Cyathia not grouped at the end of stems. Leaves usually shorter. Seed not blackish, at most dark grey or dark brown. Plants usu- ally prostrate 6 6a Capsule with ± appressed hairs, uniformly hairy. Seed evidently rugose (with 3–5 transverse grooves). Leaves (1.5–)2–3(–4) times as long as wide [Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small] E. maculata L. 6b Capsule with patent hairs. Leaves 1–2 times as long as wide 7 7a Capsule with hairs only on the keels and at base. Seed distinctly angled, cut grounded, rugose (with 5–8 transverse grooves). Stem usually gla- brous below, pubescent above [Chamaesyce prostrata (Aiton) Small] E. prostrata Aiton 7b Capsule uniformly hairy. Seed hardly angled, ± rounded at base, rumi- nate or irregularly reticulate-foveate. Stem ± hairy on both sides [Cha- maesyce canescens (L.) Prokh., see 4a] E. chamaesyce L.

Acta Bot. Hung. 54, 2012 EUPHORBIA PROSTRATA, A NEW ALIEN IN THE CARPATHIAN BASIN 239

The appearance of E. prostrata in Hungary, possibly as a result of human activity, confirms former observations that E. prostrata is in expansion in many parts of the world (cf. Dafni and Heller 1982, Topp 1988, Ma and Wu 1992, Čarni 1997, Mashaly and Awad 2003, Reis et al. 2006, Henderson 2007, Negi and Hajra 2007, Tahira et al. 2010, Pahlevani and Riina 2011). In the tropical and subtropical regions, it often appears in agricultural fields (e.g. cotton, mustard and turmeric fields, wheat cultures, and orchards), in parks (ornamental gar- dens, lawns, trampled places), and on man-made objects (e.g. roads, pavement fissures, walls).

Fig. 2. Euphorbia prostrata (A = habit, B = , C = stipule, D = cyathium and fruit, E = seed; drawn by Attila Bodor)

Acta Bot. Hung. 54, 2012 240 BÁTORI, Z., ERDŐS, L. and SOMLYAY, L.

Table 1 The first records and present status of Euphorbia prostrata in some European countries and provinces (according to: 1: Thellung 1907, 2: Masalles et al. 1996, 3: Röthlisberger 2007, 4: Milović and Randić 2001, 5: Pulević 1984, 6: Trpin 1997, 7: Greuter and Raus 2001, 8: Melzer 2003, 9: Anastasiu and Negrean 2008, 10: Hügin 1999, 11: Benedí and Orell 1992, 12: Pandža et al. 2001, 13: Stešević and Petrović 2010, Stešević ex litt., 14: Frajman and Jogan 2007, 15: Greuter and Raus 2007, 16: Schröck et al. 2004, Fischer 2005, Stöhr et al. 2009) Country/Province Year Region/Settlement Expansion France 18061 Lyon mainly the southern part of France10 Italy 18681 Campobasso mainly in northern and middle Italy10 Portugal 18841 Lisbon around Lisbon11 Catalonia (Spain) 19122 Catalonia all over Spain and the Balearic Isl.11 Switzerland 19453 Melide southern and northern Switzerland10 Croatia 19814 Rijeka along the Adriatic coast12 Montenegro 19845 Pržno, Bigovo along the Adriatic coast13 Slovenia 19926 Rožna dolina along the Adriatic coast14 Crete (Greece) 19997 Chania Nomos of Chania15 Austria 20038 Kärnten southern Austria, Upper Austria16 Romania 20089 Bucharest ? Hungary 2011 Szeged ?

Fig. 3. The spreading of Euphorbia prostrata along the kerbs in a city park of Szeged (photo: Zoltán Bátori)

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The first occurrences of E. prostrata in Europe (France, Italy and Portugal) were observed as early as the 19th century (Thellung 1907). Since then the spe- cies has been naturalised in the Mediterranean area of Europe from Portugal to Greece (Smith and Tutin 1968, Benedí and Orell 1992, Arianoutsou et al. 2010) (Table 1). In Croatia (Čarni and Jogan 1998, Milović and Randić 2001, Pandža et al. 2001, Pandža and Tafra 2008, Boršić et al. 2008), Montenegro (Pulević 1984, Stešević and Petrović 2010), and Slovenia (Trpin 1997, Frajman and Jogan 2007), it is gradually spreading mainly along the main roads and railways of the Adriatic coast. However, the species has not been recorded yet in Serbia (Nestorović and Konstantinović 2011). At the same time, E. prostrata appeared in ruderal places and railway stations in some parts of temperate Europe, namely in Germany (Hügin and Hügin 1997), Austria (Melzer 2003, Hohla et al. 2005, Fischer 2005), and in Switzerland (Röthlisberger 2007). It has recently been discovered in Bucharest, Romania (Anastasiu and Negrean 2008). In the temperate zone, this meridional–subtropical species often occurs in cities, where the disturbed areas (Chytrý et al. 2008, Ruščić and Nikolić 2011) and the urban heat island effect (Unger 1996, 1999) may contribute to its colonization. Further investigations are necessary to clarify whether E. prostrata will ex- pand its range in different parts of Hungary.

* Acknowledgements – The authors are indebted to Attila Bodor for drawing Figure 2. We also thank László Körmöczi for his suggestions for improving our manuscript. The research was supported by the HURO/0901/205/2.2.2 project.

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