Pintado, Wild Poinsettia

Considered a weed in our place, this wild poinsettia has been spotted with a Grainy Planthopper (Kallitaxila granulata) on one of its leaves (pics 1-2).

Euphorbia heterophylla, called Mexican Fireplant, Painted Euphorbia, Desert Poinsettia, Wild Poinsettia, Fire on the Mountain, Paint Leaf, Painted Spurge, Spurge Weed, Kaliko Plant, Pintado (in Tagalog), is a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family.

The stalk exudes a toxic milky white latex. The cyathia or false flowers, are located in clusters at the head of the stalk and are yellowish green. They have no petals, the red color being part of the young leaves' coloration. The fruits are small, segmented capsules. This plant often loses its coloration when it grows wild as a weed. It is resistant to herbicide.

It is a native plant of Mexico, and its original distribution includes California to east Texas and to much of Central America. This plant has spread to South and Southeast Asia, having become a weed in India and Thailand, where it has invaded cotton fields and other agricultural terrain. Introduced for ornamental purposes, it quickly spreads, becoming a common sight by the side of the roads and rural pathways.