A rather variable densely pubescent to almost glabrous much-branched prostrate annual or perennial herb with stems to 20 cm long. Petioles 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades obovate-oblong, 1-8 x 0.5-5 mm, rounded or emarginate at the apex, obliquely rounded at the base, entire or almost so, thick and slightly fleshy, rugulose when dry, glaucous. Stipules subulate, 0.5 mm long. Cyathia axillary, solitary. Glands transversely ovate, yellowish or ochreous, sometimes reddish, with unequal, subentire white or pink appendages. Fruits trigonous, keels carinate, 1.1 x 1.1 mm, smooth, either pubescent all over or else on the keels only, with simple hairs. Seeds narrowly ovoid-cylindric, quadrangular, 0.8 x 0.4 mm, irregularly foveolate-rugulose, pinkishgrey.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: More or less continuously throughout the year.

Syntypes: S. Arabia, Yemen Arab Republic, Mawr [Mot] nr. Al Lulutyyah [Lohaja], also at “Hadie”, E. of Bayt al Fagih, 1763, Forsskal ss.nn. (C).

Distribution: From the Canaries and N. Africa to Tropical Africa and eastwards to Central Asia and Northern India. Common in desert and semidesert, by roadsides and in gardens from near sea-level to 5000'/1525 m.

Jeffreys 4 is erroneously recorded by Stewart as Euphorbia humifusa Willd., a species of E. Europe and Central Asia. The Waziristan record (material not seen) is thus also suspect., Many Pakistan gatherings that have been determined as Euphorbia thymifolia are either referable to Euphorbia granulate or Euphorbia prostrate. The records for Euphorbia inaequilatera Send. are also almost certainly referable here.