Dwarf tuberous geophyte up to 8cm; dioecious plant (male and female flowers on separate plants), nearly stalkless (acaulescent). Basal rosette of narrow, tapering, annual leaves; stems and leaves with a milky latex; flowers, male and female, are clustered.

Like Euphorbia tuberosa but leaves are narrowly oblanceolate to linear or filiform, tapering below into long slender leaf stalks.

Note: The name Euphorbia, honours Euphorbius Musa, physician to King Juba of Numidia (Mauritania) c. 47 B.C. who was interested in these cactus-like plants supposedly for medicine - of which many are poisonous.