Marsh Spurge
Euphorbia palustris
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphorbia_palustris
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Euphorbia
Marsh Spurge belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, order Malpighiales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Marsh Spurge faces severe threats from wetland habitat destruction and degradation due to agricultural conversion, urban development, and water management practices that alter natural hydrological regimes. The species' specialized requirements for specific wetland conditions make it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and water level changes, leading to population declines across its range.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Marsh Spurge inhabits freshwater wetlands, marshy meadows, wet grasslands, and the margins of ponds and slow-flowing rivers, typically in areas with seasonal flooding and nutrient-rich soils. The species requires specific hydrological conditions with periodic water level fluctuations and thrives in calcareous wetland environments.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Marsh Spurge faces severe threats from wetland habitat destruction and degradation due to agricultural conversion, urban development, and water management practices that alter natural hydrological regimes. The species' specialized requirements for specific wetland conditions make it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and water level changes, leading to population declines across its range.
Altered hydrology from water management
Habitat fragmentation
Urban development and infrastructure expansion
Wetland drainage and conversion to agriculture
Climate change affecting wetland water levels
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Marsh Spurge (Euphorbia palustris). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/marsh-spurge