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Queensland Government
Link to Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)
 
Queensland Health
Health Services > Queensland Poisons Information Centre

Plants and Mushrooms

Snow-on-the-mountain

  

 Close up of the snow-on-the-mountain flowersSnow-on-the-mountain bushClose up of the leaves and flowers on the snow-on-the-mountain bush
Category 3 toxicity icon

 Common name   Snow-on-the-mountain
 Botanical name   Euphorbia marginata
 Other common names   ghost weed; white-margined spurge
Family   Euphorbiaceae
 General description   An annual herb to 60cm, often grown as a garden ornamental.
Flowers   Flowers are insignificant, grouped at the ends of branches, with a number of broad, petal-like, white or green bracts surrounding them.
Leaves   Opposite leaves are 2.5-7.5cm long and 1-2.5cm wide, green with a white margin forming a border around the leaf edge.
 Fruit/Berries  
Other   Copious milky sap.
Symptoms   The sap is corrosive. Skin contact can cause intense burning and  rash, swelling or blisters that can last several days. If sap gets into the eyes, intense pain, swelling and temporary blindness may result.
Toxicity category   3
Warning   For all eye exposures to sap, rinse the eye with water for 15 minutes and then seek urgent medical assistance.
For all ingestions seek medical attention.


Last Updated: 24 August 2010
Last Reviewed: 06 July 2010