Euphorbias

Euphorbia cooperi

Botanical name	Euphorbia cooperi
Other names	Lesser candelabra tree; spurge; Transvaalse kandelaarnaboom (Afrikaans)
Family	Euphorbiaceae
Dimensions	A medium sized, spiny, succulent tree with an attractively rounded crown, achieves a height of over 7 m
Description of stem	Trunk is straight, erect and loses all lower branches in a continual process below the compact crown over time; the trunk is grey to dark grey or brown with a gnarled appearance where irregularly spaced old leaf scars (or holes) persist; the branchlets are green or yellow-green and consist of distinctly segmented sections, up to 15 cm in length , in younger plants, smaller and rounder in older plants; the heart-shaped or sometimes triangular sections form attractive upwardly curved, leafless branches; every section has four to six longitudinal lobes with pairs of spines of about 5 mm along the outer ridges that have continuous, narrow and dark spine shields running along them
Description of leaves	Very small, inconspcuous leaves that fall early are sometimes seen on the branch ridges among the spines
Description of flowers	Typical euphorbia type yellow-green cyathia are grouped in threes on the ridges of the terminal branchlet segment, appearing in spring; the central cyathium in each group is male, the other two female
Desciption of seed/fruit	Maroon, triangular, threelobed capsules adorn the top branchlet ridges in spring and summer
Description of roots
Variation	The varieties cooperi, calidicola and ussanquensis have been described; only the first one occurs in South Africa, the others are found to the north in other African countries
Propagation and cultivation	Grown from stem cuttings
Tolerances	Drought resistant
Uses	Garden subject, e.g. for xeriscaping, although sometimes avoided by gardeners with children due to the danger of the latex; the latex is used as a fish poison that allows for the paralysed fish to be caught by hand; the fruits are eaten by birds
Ecological rarity	Common
Pests and diseases
Other	The latex is said to be one of the most poisonous varieties among the euphorbias to both humans and animals; care should be taken when working with this plant not to ingest any of the latex, to avoid it to come into contact with the eye or even have skin contact as severe irritation and blisters may ensue; the poison, euphorbon, a protein, contained in the latex may cause human death if ingested, as the stomach wall and intestines may be inflamed and even perforated; it may also cause (temporary?) blindness; cortisone cream or Prednisone tablets have been mentioned relating to treatment; a traditional medicine antidote from E. hirta (used in Malawi) is unconfirmed as to its value (Info: www.theamateurdigest.com)
Location	Bushveld and granite outcrops
Distribution (SA provinces)	Kwazulu-Natal; Mpumalanga; Limpopo; Gauteng; North West
Country	South Africa; Zimbabwe; Swaziland; Zambia; Mozambique; Botswana; Tanzania; Malawi

Euphorbia cooperi branch segment: Photographed by Retha Wareham

Euphorbia cooperi : Photographed in Kirstenbosch Retha Wareham

E. cooperi branches Retha

Euphorbia excelsa

Botanical name	Euphorbia excelsa
Other names	Olifants River euphorbia; olifantsriviernaboom (Afrikaans)
Family	Euphorbiaceae
Dimensions	A spiny, succulent tree of occasionally up to 10 m in height with a compact rounded crown of stem tips
Description of stem	Vertical ridges occur on the single erect stem, indicating where the branches had fallen; whitish bark longitudinally fissured on the main stem among the young stem branches; the young stems are quadrangular, curving up in a regular candelabrum fashion, yellow-green to blue-green, smooth surfaces with sharp spines on the four ridges; they emerge in a whorl or regular ring at regular intervals along the stem; they are narrowed at regular intervals corresponding with the growth season length added
Description of leaves	Absent as the rudimentary leaves fall early
Description of flowers	Greenish-yellow occurring in summer into autumn; the four bracts on the cyme stalk are distinctive of this species as the other tree euphorbia species have only two
Desciption of seed/fruit	Three-lobed capsule from the end of summer and in autumn
Description of roots
Variation
Propagation and cultivation
Tolerances	Drought resistant
Uses	Occasional garden plant
Ecological rarity	Not threatened in its habitat, although only occurring in a limited area
Pests and diseases
Other
Location	Dry rocky slopes in summer rainfall areas
Distribution (SA provinces)	Limpopo
Country	South Africa

Euphorbia excelsa: Photographed by Johannes Vogel

E. excelsa fruit; Photographed by Johannes Vogel

E. excelsa lower stem; Photographed by Johannes Vogel

Euphorbia ingens

Botanical name	Euphorbia ingens
Other names	Tree euphorbia, gewone naboom (Afrikaans); nkonde (Tswana);
Family	Euphorbiaceae
Dimensions	A small to medium-sized, many-branched and dense tree with rounded crown, up to 10m in height; the shape has been compared to a hot-air balloon
Description of stem	Unlike other euphorbia tree species the branches do not die off as much (and leaving only a small crown), thus resulting in branches at lower level in E. ingens; uneven markings of the discarded branches on the grey lower trunk; smaller branches retain the typical four-angular appearance, young branches are green with irregular whitish marks in the hollows between the spiny ridges, four or occasionally five angled, small spines persist on younger branch ridges
Description of leaves	Absent, photosynthesis occurs in the younger branched stems
Description of flowers	Yellow, unisexual flowers occurring in April and May on the ridges of the terminal or youngest stem segments; pollinated by bees, butterflies and a variety of other insects; unlike several other euphorbias, E. ingens is monoecious, i.e. the male and female flowers occur on the same tree
Desciption of seed/fruit	Fleshy, globose to three-lobed purple capsule of about 1 cm in diameter, appearing up to September
Description of roots
Variation
Propagation and cultivation	Transplants easily, also grown from seed, truncheons or cuttings; frost sensitive; best in sandy soil in full sun; fast growing
Tolerances	Fare better in areas with higher temperatures; cope with varying rainfall; drought resistant
Uses	The latex is used by the indigenous population for paralysing fresh-water fish in order to capture them; the latex is said to be used as a purgative, in treating dipsomania and cancer; overdoses have reportedly caused patients severe problems; honey from the nectar may cause a burning sensation in the mouth; birds eat the seeds
Ecological rarity	Common, not threatened, although since 2005 more reports of widespread dying off of E. ingens trees has been reported in different areas
Pests and diseases	There may be a recently introduced threat, not yet identified
Other	The milky latex is toxic, causing skin irritation and sometimes blindness
Location	On rocky outcrops, in woodland and often in sandy areas in bushveld
Distribution	North West; Limpopo; Mpumalanga
Country	South Africa; Mozambique; Swaziland; Botswana; Angola; Zambia; Zimbabwe; Tanzania; Malawi; Kenya

Euphorbia ingens flower or fruit : Photographed by Ricky Mauer (August)

Euphorbia ingens in habitat: Photographed by Judd Kirkel

Euphorbia ingens : Photographed by R Mauer

Euphorbia meloformis

Botanical name	Euphorbia meloformis
Other names	Melon spurge; bobbejaankos (Afrikaans, although this name is also used for other plants)
Family	Euphorbiaceae
Dimensions	A dwarf succulent perennial; melon or apple shaped, up to 12 cm in diameter, although the variety that occurs near Peddie may be 20 cm in height and in diameter
Description of stem	Single stem, sometimes branched at the base; green, rounded ribs, usually 8 in number, sometimes with curved green-shaded or red-brown cross-bands; the bigger form may have up to 14 ribs and a distinctive, grey-green colour; the surface may be smooth or wrinkled in several ways; a vertical row of markings occur on the rib keels where old flower stalks and maybe leaves had fallen
Description of leaves	Young plants have leaves that sometimes dry out quickly and in other forms last longer on the plant
Description of flowers	Cream, fleshy flowers (cyathia) branch from a light green stalk on the keel of the ribs of the plant; the flower stalks are sometimes bent and persistent, giving the plant some protection dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants), although male flowers occur sometimes on female flowers and vice versa; much yellow pollen noted on a flowering male plant; flowers late summer through autumn
Desciption of seed/fruit
Description of roots	Thick taproot
Variation	Form variations between the three different areas in which these plants occur as well as within the sub-groups, i.e. between individual plants; related to Euphorbia valida
Propagation and cultivation	Propagated from seed, also can be divided when making offsets at the base; to be planted in sunny positions, in well-drained soil and should receive limited watering
Tolerances	Drought resistant
Uses	Common in cultivation as a garden plant, on rockeries and in xeriscaping, also as a container and indoor plant
Ecological rarity	Occurring in three limited areas, may be decreasing and thus threatened due to illegal plant collection
Pests and diseases	Gets scale
Other	This plant was first described in the year of the French Revolution by William Aiton, the gardener of King George III of England, 15 years after the plant was first brought to England from South Africa in 1774 by Francis Masson; this plant is poisonous
Location	Coastal areas in open grassland
Distribution (SA provinces)	Eastern Cape
Country	South Africa
	Info: Rikus van Veldhuisen of “u4ba” www.euphorbia.eu

Euphorbia meloformis: Photographed by Ricky Mauer

Euphorbia schinzii

Botanical name	Euphorbia schinzii
Other names
Family	Euphorbiaceae
Dimensions	A very spiny, branched, succulent with numerous erect branches growing to similar height of about 15 cm
Description of stem	Thickened central stem from which the densely stacked branches emanate to form a continually broadening cluster of green spiny stems; each stem curves upward in close proximity to the others, giving a compact, 'hard to handle' appearance, given the profusion of sharp spines; the green stems are four-sided with regular sections seemingly stacked with the broadest part towards the upper end where the spines emanate
Description of leaves	The rudimentary leaves drop off early and are not often seen
Description of flowers	Small bright yellow cyathia occur in threes on short cymes towards the upper end of branches during winter and into spring
Description of seed/fruit
Description of roots	The central root is very much thickened in its upper region, giving the plant a fleshy, solid base with limited secondary roots
Variation
Propagation and cultivation	Transplants readily
Tolerances	Drought resistant, reasonably cold resistant
Uses
Ecological rarity	Common
Pests and diseases
Other
Location	Rocky outcrops in bushveld
Distribution (SA provinces)	North West; Limpopo; Mpumalanga; Kwazulu-Natal
Country	South Africa; Botswana; Swaziland; Zimbabwe
Botanical name	Dicoma anomala subsp. cirsioides
Other names	Maagwortel or maagbitterwortel (Afrikaans)
Family	Asteraceae
Dimensions	Perennial low-growing herb with several erect stems from a woody rootstock
Description of stem	Several erect stems emanate from the central rootstock; the stems are ribbed;
Description of leaves	Narrowly linear to lanceolate leaves, recurving, approximately 2 cm wide, dark green upper surface, whitish and woolly below
Description of flowers	Flowers cup to cone-shaped, cream to pinkish with a woolly appearance of the disc-florets; the pinkish bracts surrounding each composite flower are prickly, sharp points, not spreading at the tips
Description of seed/fruit
Description of roots
Variation
Propagation and cultivation	Rarely cultivated?
Tolerances
Uses	The root is widely used medicinally; decoctions are used to treat various stomach and chest complaints, as well venereal diseases; it also serve in the treatment of toothache, ringworm and fever conditions; the stems have been used by bushmen in bowmaking for hunting and as firewood
Ecological rarity	Common
Pests and diseases
Other
Location	Stony, open grassland, also in harshly exposed conditions
Distribution (SA provinces)	North West; Gauteng; Limpopo; Mpumalanga; Free State; Kwazulu-Natal
Country	South Africa; Botswana; Mozambique; Zimbabwe; Zambia and further north in Sub-Sahara Africa

Euphorbia tirucalli