Euphorbia tirucalli L.

Euphorbiaceae, S. Carter & L.C. Leach. Flora Zambesiaca 9:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Spineless succulent densely branched often apparently dioecious shrubs to 4 m or trees to 7 m high, with a copious irritant white to yellowish latex.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets brittle terete succulent, c. 7 mm thick, often produced in whorls, green with longitudinal fine striations and very small leaf scars, the extreme tips of young leafy branchlets sparsely tomentose with curled brown hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves few, present only at the tips of young branchlets and quickly deciduous, subsessile; stipules glandular, minute, dark brown; lamina fleshy to 15 × 2 mm, linear-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes congested, 2–6 at the branchlet apices, each forking 2–4 times, with rays less than 1 mm long, producing a dense cluster of cyathia developing only male flowers, or occasionally a few female flowers also present, or cyathia fewer and only female flowers developing, the whole cyme ± glabrous, or tomentose with curled brown hairs especially on the involucres and lobes; bracts c. 2 × 1.5 mm, rounded, ± sharply keeled, usually glabrous except on the margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Cyathia

Cyathia subsessile, c. 3 × 4 mm, with cup-shaped involucres; glands 5, 0.5 mm in diameter subcircular to 1.5 × 2 mm transversely elliptic, bright yellow; lobes c. 0.5 mm long, triangular.

sex Male

Male involucres: bracteoles linear with plumose apices; stamens 4.5 mm long; an aborted female flower is occasionally present.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female involucres: bracteoles present and occasionally also a few male flowers; female perianth distinctly 3-lobed below the tomentose ovary, with lobes 0.5 mm long; styles 2 mm long, joined at the base, with thickened deeply bifid recurved apices. Male involucres: bracteoles linear with plumose apices; stamens 4.5 mm long; an aborted female flower is occasionally present.

sex Female

Female involucres: bracteoles present and occasionally also a few male flowers; female perianth distinctly 3-lobed below the tomentose ovary, with lobes 0.5 mm long; styles 2 mm long, joined at the base, with thickened deeply bifid recurved apices.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule glabrescent, c. 8 × 8.5 mm, subglobose, exserted on a tomentose pedicel to 10 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3.5 × 2.8 mm, ovoid, smooth, buff speckled with brown and with a dark brown ventral line; caruncle 1 mm across.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 100 - 670 m.; Andes, Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe.

Morphology General Habit

Arbusto

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Densely branched shrub to 4 m high, or bushy tree to 8 m high; branches green, succulent, brittle, longitudinally striated, often produced in whorls

Morphology Leaves

Leaves linear-lanceolate, 1–1.5 x 0.2 cm, quickly deciduous; extreme tips of young leafy branchlets tomentose, with curled brown hairs; glandular stipules minute, dark brown

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes densely clustered 2–6 at the branch apices, forking 2–4 times with rays less than 1 mm long and cyathia developing only male flowers, or occasionally a few female flowers also present, or cyathia fewer and only female flowers developing, the whole cyme tomentose with curled brown hairs; bracts rounded, 2 x 1.5 mm, glabrous except on the margin

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Cyathia subsessile, 4 mm in diam.; glands 5, 0.5–2 mm broad, bright yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary tomentose, with a 3-lobed perianth, lobes 0.5 mm long; styles 2 mm long, joined at the base, with thickened deeply bifid recurved apices

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule exserted on a pedicel 1 cm long, subglobose, 8 x 8.5 mm, glabrescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid, 3.5 x 2.8 mm, smooth, buff, speckled, with a dark brown ventral line; caruncle 1 mm wide.

Distribution

Native of east and southern tropical Africa, sometimes naturalized in N1, S1 and S2

Ecology

Apparently wild and forming thickets in gullies; 200–1310 m.

Vernacular

Dano (Somali)

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

cactus, quebradura

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

A stout shrub or small tree, the green, smooth, terete, mostly naked branches alternate or clustered in brush-like masses, the ultimate ones 5–7 mm thick and bearing scattered, alternate, narrow leaves 6–12 mm long, these soon falling

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of small, sessile, terminal clusters, the cyathia 3 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary sessile at first, becoming exserted on a pedicel-like stalk 8 mm long in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule obtusely 3-lobed; seeds dark brown, smooth, 4 mm long.

Distribution

Grand Cayman. Indigenous to tropical Africa but widely cultivated in warm countries, often becoming naturalised.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44452/117034216

Conservation

LC - least concern

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean. Elevation range: 100–670 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Colombian departments: Magdalena, San Andrés y Providencia, Santander, Tolima.

Habit

Shrub.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, artificial - terrestrial.

Use Animal Food

Used as animal food.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses.

Use Fuel

Used for fuels.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Invertebrate Food

Used as invertebrate food.

Use Materials

Used as material.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Poisons

Poisons.

Use Social

Social uses.