Origin:  Grows wild, in tropical Asia. Widely cultivated in west Indies, Florida and in many tropical areas world wide. Widely escaped from cultivation and in many places forming dense thickets

Leaves: It has only the tiniest hint of leaves at the growing tips in summer. The leaves are rudimentary, circular, reddish, up to 3 mm in diameter, sessile, deciduous,

Source: Cactus Art Nursery

Cutting from Metro right of way, Long Beach

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Species: E. lactea

                         – Wikipedia.