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''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s, commonly called spurge, in the
family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Euphorbiaceae Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of a genus in the family. Most spurges, such as ''Euphorbia paralias'', are herbs, but some, e ...
. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to the
type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nominal f ...
), not just to members of the genus. Euphorbias range from tiny
annual plants An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. The length of growing seasons and period in which they take place vary according to geographical lo ...
to large and long-lived trees. The genus has roughly 2,000 members, making it one of the largest genera of flowering plants. It also has one of the largest ranges of chromosome counts, along with ''
Rumex The docks and sorrels, genus ''Rumex'', are a genus of about 200 species of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Members of this genus are very common perennial herbs with a native almost worldwide distribu ...
'' and ''
Senecio ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Morp ...
''. ''
Euphorbia antiquorum ''Euphorbia antiquorum'', known as antique spurge and "Euphorbia of the Ancients", is a species of succulent plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is widespread throughout peninsular India, but its wild origin is obscure. Escaped or naturalized ...
'' is the type species for the genus ''Euphorbia''. It was first described by
Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
in 1753 in ''
Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial names and was the ...
''. Some euphorbias are widely available commercially, such as
poinsettia The poinsettia ( or ) (''Euphorbia pulcherrima'') is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834 ...
s at Christmas. Some are commonly cultivated as ornamentals, or collected and highly valued for the aesthetic appearance of their unique floral structures, such as the crown of thorns plant (''
Euphorbia milii ''Euphorbia milii'', the crown of thorns, Christ plant, or Christ thorn, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to Madagascar. The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Réunion, who introdu ...
'').
Succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...
euphorbias from the deserts of Southern
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
have evolved physical characteristics and forms similar to
cacti A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...
of North and South America, so they are often incorrectly referred to as cacti. Some are used as ornamentals in landscaping, because of beautiful or striking overall forms, and drought and heat tolerance. Euphorbia all share the feature of having a poisonous,
latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...
-like sap and unique floral structures. When viewed as a whole, the head of flowers looks like a single flower (a
pseudanthium A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...
). It has a unique kind of pseudanthium, called a
cyathium A cyathium (plural: cyathia) is one of the specialised pseudanthia ("false flowers") forming the inflorescence of plants in the genus ''Euphorbia'' (Euphorbiaceae). A cyathium consists of: * Five (rarely four) bracteoles. These are small, uni ...
, where each flower in the head is reduced to its barest essential part needed for sexual reproduction. The individual flowers are either male or female, with the male flowers reduced to only the
stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
, and the females to the
pistil Gynoecium (; ) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ''pistils'' ...
. These flowers have no
sepals A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...
,
petals Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usually ...
, or other parts that are typical of flowers in other kinds of plants. Structures supporting the flower head and other structures underneath have evolved to attract pollinators with nectar, and with shapes and colors that function in a way
petals Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usually ...
and other flower parts do in other flowers. It is the only genus of plants that has all three kinds of
photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...
,
CAM Calmodulin (CaM) (an abbreviation for calcium-modulated protein) is a multifunctional intermediate calcium-binding messenger protein expressed in all eukaryotic cells. It is an intracellular target of the secondary messenger Ca2+, and the bind ...
, C3 and C4.


Etymology

The common name "spurge" derives from the
Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...
/
Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligib ...
''espurge'' ("to purge"), due to the use of the plant's sap as a
purgative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...
. The
botanical name A botanical name is a formal scientific name conforming to the '' International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' (ICN) and, if it concerns a plant cultigen, the additional cultivar or Group epithets must conform to the ''Intern ...
''Euphorbia'' derives from Euphorbos, the
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
physician of King
Juba II Juba II or Juba of Mauretania (Latin: ''Gaius Iulius Iuba''; grc, Ἰóβας, Ἰóβα or ;Roller, Duane W. (2003) ''The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene'' "Routledge (UK)". pp. 1–3. . c. 48 BC – AD 23) was the son of Juba I and client ...
of
Numidia Numidia ( Berber: ''Inumiden''; 202–40 BC) was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians located in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up modern-day Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunis ...
and
Mauretania Mauretania (; ) is the Latin name for a region in the ancient Maghreb. It stretched from central present-day Algeria westwards to the Atlantic, covering northern present-day Morocco, and southward to the Atlas Mountains. Its native inhabitants, ...
(52–50 BC – 23 AD), who married the daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra. Juba was a prolific writer on various subjects, including natural history. Euphorbos wrote that one of the cactus-like euphorbias (now called ''Euphorbia obtusifolia'' ssp. ''regis-jubae'') was used as a powerful
laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...
. In 12 BC, Juba named this plant after his physician Euphorbos, as
Augustus Caesar Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
had dedicated a statue to the brother of Euphorbos,
Antonius Musa Antonius Musa (Greek ) was a Greek botanist and the Roman Emperor Augustus's physician; Antonius was a freedman who received freeborn status along with other honours. In the year 23 BC, when Augustus was seriously ill, Musa cured the illness wi ...
, who was the personal physician of Augustus. In 1753, botanist and taxonomist
Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
assigned the name ''Euphorbia'' to the entire genus in the physician's honor.


Description

The plants are
annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook ** Literary annual * Annual plant * Annual report * Annual giving * Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco * Annuals (b ...
,
biennial Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years. In particular, it can refer to: * Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and th ...
or
perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
herbs, woody shrubs, or trees with a caustic, poisonous milky latex. The
root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...
s are fine or thick and fleshy or tuberous. Many species are more or less
succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...
, thorny, or unarmed. The main stem and mostly also the side arms of the succulent species are thick and fleshy, tall. The deciduous
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
may be opposite,
alternate Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...
, or in
whorls A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral d ...
. In succulent species, the leaves are mostly small and short-lived. The
stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). Stipules are considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many speci ...
s are mostly small, partly transformed into
spine Spine or spinal may refer to: Science Biology * Vertebral column, also known as the backbone * Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite * Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants * Spine (zoolog ...
s or
gland In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). Structure De ...
s, or missing.


Inflorescence and fruit

Like all members of the family Euphorbiaceae, spurges have unisexual flowers. In ''Euphorbia'', flowers occur in a head, called the
cyathium A cyathium (plural: cyathia) is one of the specialised pseudanthia ("false flowers") forming the inflorescence of plants in the genus ''Euphorbia'' (Euphorbiaceae). A cyathium consists of: * Five (rarely four) bracteoles. These are small, uni ...
(plural cyathia). Each male or female flower in the cyathium head has only its essential sexual part, in males the
stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
, and in females the
pistil Gynoecium (; ) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ''pistils'' ...
. The flowers do not have
sepals A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...
,
petals Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usually ...
, or
nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...
to attract pollinators, although other nonflower parts of the plant have an appearance and nectar glands with similar roles. Euphorbias are the only plants known to have this kind of flower head. Nectar glands and nectar that attract pollinators are held in the involucre, a cup-like part below and supporting the cyathium head. The "involucre" in the genus ''Euphorbia'' is not to be confused with the "involucre" in family Asteraceae members, which is a collection of bracts called
phyllaries In botanical terminology, a phyllary, also known an involucral bract or tegule, is a single bract of the involucre of a composite flower. The involucre is the grouping of bracts together. Phyllaries are reduced leaf-like structures that form one or ...
, which surround and encase the unopened flower head, then support the receptacle under it after the flower head opens. The involucre is above and supported by
bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
-like modified leaf structures (usually in pairs) called cyathophylls', or cyathial leaves. The cyathophyll often has a superficial appearance of being petals of a flower. ''Euphorbia'' flowers are tiny, and the variation attracting different pollinators, with different forms and colors occurs, in the cyathium, involucre, cyathophyll, or additional parts such as glands that attached to these. The collection of many flowers may be shaped and arranged to appear collectively as a single individual flower, sometimes called a
pseudanthium A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...
in the Asteraceae, and also in ''Euphorbia''. The majority of species are
monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy. Monoecy is conne ...
(bearing male and female flowers on the same plant), although some are
dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...
with male and female flowers occurring on different plants. It is not unusual for the central cyathia of a cyme to be purely male, and for lateral cyathia to carry both sexes. Sometimes, young plants or those growing under unfavorable conditions are male only, and only produce female flowers in the cyathia with maturity or as growing conditions improve. The female flowers reduced to a single pistil usually split into three parts, often with two stigmas at each tip. Male flowers often have anthers in twos. Nectar glands usually occur in fives, may be as few as one, and may be fused into a "U" shape. The cyathophylls often occur in twos, are leaf-like, and may be showy and brightly coloured and attractive to pollinators, or be reduced to barely visible tiny scales. The fruits are three- or rarely two-compartment capsules, sometimes fleshy, but almost always ripening to a woody container that then splits open, sometimes explosively. The
seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...
s are four-angled, oval, or spherical, and some species have a caruncle.


Xerophytes and succulents

In the genus ''Euphorbia'', succulence in the species has often evolved divergently and to differing degrees. Sometimes, it is difficult to decide, and is a question of interpretation, whether or not a species is really succulent or "only"
xerophytic A xerophyte (from Greek ξηρός ''xeros'' 'dry' + φυτόν ''phuton'' 'plant') is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water, such as a desert such as the Sahara or places in the Alps or th ...
. In some cases, especially with
geophyte A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy (generally in the form of carbohydrates) or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have ...
s, plants closely related to the succulents are normal herbs. About 850 species are succulent in the strictest sense. If one includes slightly succulent and xerophytic species, this figure rises to about 1000, representing about 45% of all ''Euphorbia'' species.


Irritants

The milky sap of spurges (called "latex") evolved as a deterrent to
herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...
s. It is white, and transparent when dry, except in '' E. abdelkuri'', where it is yellow. The pressurized sap seeps from the slightest wound and congeals after a few minutes in air. The skin-irritating and caustic effects are largely caused by varying amounts of
diterpene Diterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of four isoprene units, often with the molecular formula C20H32. They are biosynthesized by plants, animals and fungi via the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate being ...
s.
Triterpene Triterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of three terpene units with the molecular formula C30H48; they may also be thought of as consisting of six isoprene units. Animals, plants and fungi all produce triterpenes, including squale ...
s such as
betulin Betulin is an abundant, naturally occurring triterpene. It is commonly isolated from the bark of birch trees. It forms up to 30% of the dry weight of silver birch bark. It is also found in birch sap. '' Inonotus obliquus'' and red alder also co ...
and corresponding
ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ar ...
s are other major components of the latex. In contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth), the latex can produce extremely painful
inflammation Inflammation (from la, wikt:en:inflammatio#Latin, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or Irritation, irritants, and is a protective response involving im ...
. The sap has also been known to cause mild to extreme Keratouveitis, which affects vision. Therefore, spurges should be handled with caution and kept away from children and pets. Wearing eye protection while working in close contact with ''Euphorbia'' is advised. Latex on skin should be washed off immediately and thoroughly. Congealed latex is insoluble in water, but can be removed with an emulsifier such as milk or soap. A physician should be consulted if inflammation occurs, as severe eye damage including permanent blindness may result from exposure to the sap. The poisonous qualities were well known: in the Ethiopian ''
Kebra Nagast The Kebra Nagast, var. Kebra Negast ( gez, ክብረ ነገሥት, ), or The Glory of the Kings, is a 14th-century national epic from Ethiopia, written in Ge'ez by Nebure Id Ishaq of Axum, by the office of Abuna Abba Giyorgis and at the comma ...
'', the serpent king
Arwe Arwe, also known as Wainaba, in Ethiopian mythology, is a serpent-king who rules for four hundred years before being destroyed by the founder of the Solomonic dynasty. His story comes in a number of versions, all of which have him as a tyrannical ...
is killed with juice from the ''Euphorbia''.


Uses

Several spurges are grown as garden plants, among them
poinsettia The poinsettia ( or ) (''Euphorbia pulcherrima'') is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834 ...
(''E. pulcherrima'') and the succulent '' E. trigona''. '' E. pekinensis'' () is used in
traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of action ...
, where it is regarded as one of the
50 fundamental herbs Chinese herbology () is the theory of traditional Chinese herbal therapy, which accounts for the majority of treatments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A ''Nature'' editorial described TCM as "fraught with pseudoscience", and said that t ...
. Several ''Euphorbia'' species are used as food plants by the
larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...
e of some
Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
(butterflies and moths), like the spurge hawkmoths (''
Hyles euphorbiae ''Hyles euphorbiae'', the spurge hawk-moth, is a European moth of the family Sphingidae. This hawk moth is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed leafy spurge (''Euphorbia virgata''), but usually only in conjunction w ...
'' and '' Hyles tithymali''), as well as the
giant leopard moth The giant leopard moth (''Hypercompe scribonia'') is a moth of the family Erebidae. They are distributed through North America from southern Ontario, and southern and eastern United States through New England, Mexico and south to Colombia. The ...
.
Ingenol mebutate Ingenol mebutate, sold under the brand name Picato, is a substance that is found in the sap of the plant ''Euphorbia peplus'', commonly known as milkweed, and is an inducer of cell death. A gel formulation of the drug has been approved by the U.S. ...
, a drug used to treat
actinic keratosis Actinic keratosis (AK), sometimes called solar keratosis or senile keratosis, is a pre-cancerous area of thick, scaly, or crusty skin.Freedberg, et al. (2003). ''Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine''. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. . Actinic k ...
, is a
diterpenoid Diterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of four isoprene units, often with the molecular formula C20H32. They are biosynthesized by plants, animals and fungi via the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate being ...
found in ''
Euphorbia peplus ''Euphorbia peplus'' (petty spurge, radium weed, cancer weed, or milkweed), is a species of ''Euphorbia'', native to most of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia, where it typically grows in cultivated arable land, gardens and other disturbe ...
''. Euphorbias are often used as hedging plants in many parts of Africa.


Misidentification as cacti

Among laypeople, ''Euphorbia'' species are among the plant taxa most commonly confused with
cacti A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...
, especially the
stem succulent Stem succulents are fleshy succulent columnar shaped plants which conduct photosynthesis mainly through their stems rather than their leaves.Frerea indica, a Stem Succulent CAM Plant with Deciduous C₃ Leaves, Otto L. Lange and Margit Zuber, Oeco ...
s. Euphorbias secrete a sticky, milky-white fluid with latex, but cacti do not. Individual flowers of euphorbias are usually tiny and nondescript (although structures around the individual flowers may not be), without petals and sepals, unlike cacti, which often have fantastically showy flowers. Euphorbias from desert habitats with growth forms similar to cacti have
thorns Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Com ...
, which are different from the spines of cacti.


Systematics and taxonomy

The present taxon "''Euphorbia''" corresponds to its own former subtribe, the
Euphorbiinae ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...
. It has over 2000 species. Morphological description using the presence of a cyathium (see section above) is consistent with nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data in testing of about 10% of its members. This testing supports inclusion of formerly other genera as being best placed in this single genus, including ''
Chamaesyce ''Chamaesyce'' is a genus of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae. Recent phylogenetic studies have shown that ''Chamaesyce'' is deeply nested within the broader ''Euphorbia''. Specifically, ''Chamaesyce'' is very closely related to plants like '' ...
, Monadenium, Pedilanthus'', and poinsettia (''E. pulcherrima''). Genetic tests have shown that similar flower head structures or forms within the genus, might not mean close ancestry within the genus. The genetic data show that within the genus, convergent evolution of
inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
structures may be from ancestral subunits that are not related. So using morphology within the genus becomes problematic for further subgeneric grouping. As stated on the Euphorbia Planetary Biodiversity Inventory project webpage: According to a 2002 publication on studies of
DNA sequence DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. Th ...
data, most of the smaller "satellite genera" around the huge genus ''Euphorbia'' nest deep within the latter. Consequently, these
taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
, namely the never generally accepted genus ''Chamaesyce'', as well as the smaller genera ''
Cubanthus ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...
'', ''Elaeophorbia'', ''Endadenium'', ''Monadenium'', ''Synadenium'', and ''Pedilanthus'' were transferred to ''Euphorbia''. The entire
subtribe Subtribe is a taxonomic category ranking which is below the rank of tribe and above genus. The standard suffix for a subtribe is -ina (in animals) or -inae (in plants Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plant ...
Euphorbiinae now consists solely of the genus ''Euphorbia''.


Selected species

See List of ''Euphorbia'' species for complete list. * ''
Euphorbia albomarginata ''Euphorbia albomarginata'' (formerly ''Chamaesyce albomarginata''), whitemargin sandmat or rattlesnake weed, is a small low-growing perennial, in the spurge family (Euphorbia, Euphorbiaceae) native to desert, chaparral, and grassland habitats o ...
'' – rattlesnake weed, white-margined sandmat * ''
Euphorbia amygdaloides ''Euphorbia amygdaloides'', the wood spurge, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to woodland locations in Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus. It is a bushy evergreen perennial, growing to a height of , with dark green ...
'' – wood spurge * ''
Euphorbia antisyphilitica ''Euphorbia antisyphilitica'' is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to the Trans-Pecos of Texas and southern New Mexico in the United States as well as Chihuahua, Coahuila, Hidalgo, and Querétaro in Me ...
'' – candelilla * ''
Euphorbia balsamifera ''Euphorbia balsamifera'' (balsam spurge) is a flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It is distributed in the Canary Islands and the western Sahara. It is the vegetable symbol of the island of Lanzarote. '' Euphorbia adenensis'' ...
'' – sweet tabaiba (Canary Islands) * ''
Euphorbia bulbispina ''Euphorbia bulbispina'' is a spiny plant of the family Euphorbiaceae. It was described by Rauh & Razafindratsira in ''Euphorbia Journal'' 7: 31. 1991. It is endemic to a very small area in northern Madagascar where it is found in rock cracks in ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia caducifolia ''Euphorbia caducifolia'' is a subtropical succulent species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is found in India where it is known as the leafless milk hedge. Description ''Euphorbia caducifolia'' forms a dense, branching bush ...
'' – leafless milk hedge * ''
Euphorbia canariensis ''Euphorbia canariensis'', commonly known as the Canary Island spurge, Hercules club or in Spanish ''cardón'', is a succulent member of the genus ''Euphorbia'' and family Euphorbiaceae endemic to the Canary Islands. It is the plant symbol of t ...
'' – Canary Island spurge, Hercules club (Canary Islands) * ''
Euphorbia caput-medusae ''Euphorbia caput-medusae'' ("Medusa's Head") is a plant of the genus ''Euphorbia'' that occurs in and around Cape Town, South Africa. Description This succulent resembles the head of Medusa, with many serpent-like stems arising from a short, ce ...
'' – Medusa's head (South Africa) * ''
Euphorbia ceratocarpa ''Euphorbia ceratocarpa'' is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to the Island of Sicily and southern Italy. Growing to tall and wide, it is an evergreen perennial or subshrub bearing long, narrow leaves with ...
'' – (Sicily and southern Italy) * ''
Euphorbia characias ''Euphorbia characias'', the Mediterranean spurge or Albanian spurge, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae typical of the Mediterranean vegetation. It is an upright, compact evergreen shrub growing to tall and wide. Des ...
'' – Mediterranean spurge * '' Euphorbia coerulescens'' - blue euphorbia * ''
Euphorbia cotinifolia ''Euphorbia cotinifolia'' is a broadleaf red shrub native to Mexico and South America. Treated as a shrub, it reaches but can be grown as a tree reaching . Small white flowers with creamy bracts bloom at the ends of the branches in summer. The ...
'' – copper tree * ''
Euphorbia cyathophora ''Euphorbia cyathophora'', known by various names including dwarf poinsettia, fire-on-the-mountain, and paintedleaf, is native to North and South America and naturalized Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which ...
'' – fire-on-the-mountain * ''
Euphorbia cyparissias ''Euphorbia cyparissias'', the cypress spurge, is a species of plant in the genus ''Euphorbia''. It is native to Europe and was introduced to North America in the 1860s as an ornamental plant. Natural habitat types include dunes, pannes, coasta ...
'' – Cypress spurge * ''
Euphorbia decidua ''Euphorbia decidua'' is a plant of the family Euphorbiaceae. It was described by Peter René Oscar Bally & Leslie Charles Leach in 1975. Its habitats are Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Zaire. The flowers are pale green with a red centre. Refere ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia dendroides ''Euphorbia dendroides'', also known as tree spurge, is a small tree or large shrub of the family Euphorbiaceae that grows in semi-arid and mediterranean climates. Distribution and habitat ''Euphorbia dendroides'' has a wide distribution throu ...
'' – tree spurge * ''
Euphorbia epithymoides ''Euphorbia epithymoides'', the cushion spurge, syn. ''E. polychroma'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to Libya, Turkey and East, Middle, and Southeast Europe. It is a compact, clump-forming, herbaceous pere ...
'' – cushion spurge * ''
Euphorbia esula ''Euphorbia esula'', commonly known as green spurge or leafy spurge, is a species of spurge native to central and southern Europe (north to England, the Netherlands, and Germany), and eastward through most of Asia north of the Himalaya to Korea a ...
'' – leafy spurge * ''
Euphorbia franckiana ''Euphorbia franckiana'' is a species of flowering plant in the Euphorbiaceae family. It is a spurge native to southern Africa. Phorbol has been isolated from the latex of this perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a pl ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia fulgens ''Euphorbia fulgens'', the scarlet plume, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to Mexico. Growing to tall by broad, it is a deciduous shrub with long, weeping branches and narrow leaves. In winter orange-r ...
'' – scarlet plume * ''
Euphorbia grantii ''Euphorbia grantii'' is a species of succulent plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. Name The specific epithet is in honour of explorer James Augustus Grant.Oliver, Daniel. 1875. ''Transactions of the Linnean Society of London'', 29(3): 144. I ...
'' – African milk bush * ''
Euphorbia gregersenii ''Euphorbia gregersenii'', or Gregersen's spurge, is a plant in the family ''Euphorbiaceae'': spurges. Description This spurge is a perennial plant, herbaceous or with basically split, erected stems. Its height is around 25–55 cm, si ...
'' – Gregersen's spurge * ''
Euphorbia griffithii ''Euphorbia griffithii'', the Griffith's spurge, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to Bhutan, Tibet and south west China. It is a spreading, rhizomatous herbaceous perennial growing to , with many erect re ...
'' – Griffith's spurge * ''
Euphorbia helioscopia ''Euphorbia helioscopia'', the sun spurge or madwoman's milk, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It is a herbaceous annual plant, native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and eastward through most of Asia.''Flo ...
'' – sun spurge * ''
Euphorbia heterophylla ''Euphorbia heterophylla'', also known under the common names of Mexican fireplant, painted euphorbia, Japanese poinsettia, paintedleaf, painted spurge and milkweed, is a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family. Distribution ''Euph ...
'' – painted euphorbia, desert poinsettia, fireplant, paint leaf, kaliko * ''
Euphorbia hirta ''Euphorbia hirta'' (sometimes called asthma-plant) is a pantropical weed, originating from the tropical regions of the Americas. It is a hairy herb that grows in open grasslands, roadsides and pathways. It is widely used in traditional herbal m ...
'' – asthma-plant * ''
Euphorbia hispida ''Euphorbia hispida'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Kuwait, Pakistan and Western Himalaya. It was first described by Pierre Edmond Boissier Pierre Edmond Boissier ( ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia horrida ''Euphorbia horrida'', the African milk barrel, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to South Africa. It is a cactus-like shrub showing remarkable similarities to the true cacti of the New World, and thus an example ...
'' – African milk barrel * ''
Euphorbia ingens ''Euphorbia ingens'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to dry areas of southern Africa. It is popularly known as the candelabra tree or naboom. Its milky latex can be extremely poisonous and is a dangerous ...
'' – candelabra tree * ''
Euphorbia labatii ''Euphorbia labatii'' is a rare endemic known only from a single locality in Antsiranana Province, Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: R ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia lactea ''Euphorbia lactea'' is a species of spurge native to tropical Asia, mainly in India.Huxley, A, ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. It is an erect shrub growing up to tall, with succulent branches diameter, ridged, with a triang ...
'' – mottled spurge, frilled fan, elkhorn * ''
Euphorbia lathyris ''Euphorbia lathyris'', the caper spurge or paper spurge, is a species of spurge native to southern Europe (Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal), northwest Africa, and eastward through southwest Asia to western China.''Flora Europaea'Euphorbia lath ...
'' – caper spurge, paper spurge, gopher spurge, gopher plant, mole plant * ''
Euphorbia leuconeura ''Euphorbia leuconeura'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. Its common name is Madagascar jewel. It is endemic to Madagascar where its natural habitat is forest undergrowth in rocky areas. It can grow to a height of , as ...
'' – Madagascar jewel * ''
Euphorbia maculata ''Euphorbia maculata'', known as spotted spurge, prostrate spurge (not to be confused with ''Euphorbia prostrata''), ''milk purslane'', or ''spotted sandmat'', is a fast-growing annual plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. While it is native to N ...
'' – spotted spurge, prostrate spurge * ''
Euphorbia marginata ''Euphorbia marginata'' (commonly known as snow-on-the-mountain, smoke-on-the-prairie, variegated spurge, or whitemargined spurge) is a small annual in the spurge family. It is native to parts of temperate North America, from Eastern Canada t ...
'' – snow on the mountain * ''
Euphorbia mammillaris ''Euphorbia mammillaris'' (often mis-spelled ''Euphorbia mamillaris'') is a plant species endemic to Cape Province of South Africa. ''Euphorbia mammillaris'', also known as African or Indian corn-cob, is a fast-growing shrublet, with thick stems ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia maritae ''Euphorbia maritae'' is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It takes its name from the discoverer, Marita Specks, who collected the first known specimen in Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United R ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia milii ''Euphorbia milii'', the crown of thorns, Christ plant, or Christ thorn, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to Madagascar. The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Réunion, who introdu ...
'' – crown-of-thorns, Christ plant * ''
Euphorbia misera ''Euphorbia misera'' is a semi-Succulent plant, succulent shrub in the genus ''Euphorbia'' commonly known as the cliff spurge or coast spurge. A Drought deciduous, drought-deciduous shrub, it is typically found as a gnarled, straggly plant occupy ...
'' – cliff spurge, Baja California, Southern California * ''
Euphorbia myrsinites ''Euphorbia myrsinites'', the myrtle spurge, blue spurge, or broad-leaved glaucous-spurge, is a succulent species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Distribution The plant is native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, from ...
'' – myrtle spurge, creeping spurge, donkey tail * ''
Euphorbia nivulia ''Euphorbia nivulia'' is a subtropical succulent species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is found in the Indian subcontinent and is commonly known as the leafy milk hedge, holy milk hedge or dog's tongue. Description ''Euphor ...
'' – leafy milk hedge * ''
Euphorbia obesa ''Euphorbia obesa'' is a subtropical succulent species of flowering plant in the genus ''Euphorbia''. It comes from South Africa, especially the Cape Province. Sometimes referred to as the baseball plant. In the wild it is endangered because of ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia paralias ''Euphorbia paralias'', the sea spurge, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. The species is widely naturalised in Australia. It invades coastal areas, displacing local ...
'' – sea spurge * '' Euphorbia pekinensis'' – Peking spurge * ''
Euphorbia peplis ''Euphorbia peplis'', the purple spurge, is a species of ''Euphorbia'', native to southern and western Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, where it typically grows on coastal sand and shingle.''Flora Europaea'Euphorbia peplis''/re ...
'' – purple spurge * ''
Euphorbia peplus ''Euphorbia peplus'' (petty spurge, radium weed, cancer weed, or milkweed), is a species of ''Euphorbia'', native to most of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia, where it typically grows in cultivated arable land, gardens and other disturbe ...
'' – petty spurge * ''
Euphorbia polychroma ''Euphorbia epithymoides'', the cushion spurge, syn. ''E. polychroma'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to Libya, Turkey and East, Middle, and Southeast Europe. It is a compact, clump-forming, herbaceous pere ...
'' – bonfire * ''
Euphorbia psammogeton ''Euphorbia psammogeton'', commonly known as sand spurge, is a flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. The specific epithet derives from the Greek ''psammos'' (“sand”) and ''geiton'' (“neighbour”), alluding to the typical habitat. D ...
'' – sand spurge * ''
Euphorbia pulcherrima The poinsettia ( or ) (''Euphorbia pulcherrima'') is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834 ...
'' – poinsettia, Mexican flame leaf, Christmas star, winter rose, ''noche buena'', ''lalupatae'', ''pascua'', ''Atatürk çiçeği'' (
Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
) * ''
Euphorbia purpurea ''Euphorbia purpurea'' is a species of ''Euphorbia'' known by the common names Darlington's glade spurge, glade spurge, and purple spurge. It is native to the Eastern United States, where it occurs from Ohio and Pennsylvania south to North Caroli ...
'' – Darlington's glade spurge, glade spurge, or purple spurge * ''
Euphorbia resinifera ''Euphorbia resinifera'', the resin spurge, is a species of spurge native to Morocco, where it occurs on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains. The dried latex of the plant was used in ancient medicine. It contains resiniferatoxin, an extremely pote ...
'' – resin spurge * ''
Euphorbia rigida ''Euphorbia rigida'', the gopher spurge or upright myrtle spurge, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to southern Europe and southwest Asia. Growing to tall and broad, it is a bushy evergreen perennial with ...
'' – gopher spurge, upright myrtle spurge * ''
Euphorbia serrata ''Euphorbia serrata'' is a species of spurge known by the common names serrated spurge and sawtooth spurge. It is native to Europe but it is present elsewhere as a weedy introduced species. This is a perennial herb growing anywhere from 20 centi ...
'' – serrated spurge, sawtooth spurge * ''
Euphorbia tirucalli ''Euphorbia tirucalli'' (commonly known as Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, pencil cactus, fire stick, or milk bush) is a tree native to Africa that grows in semi-arid tropical climates. A hydrocarbon plant, it produces a poisonous l ...
'' – Indian tree spurge, milk bush, pencil tree, firestick * ''
Euphorbia tithymaloides ''Euphorbia tithymaloides'' is a perennial succulent spurge. An erect shrub,Vardhana, ''Direct Uses of Medicinal Plants and Their Identification'', 2008, p. 261. the plant is also known by the scientific name ''Pedilanthus tithymaloides''. Howev ...
'' – devil's backbone, redbird cactus, ''cimora misha'' (
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...
) * ''
Euphorbia trigona Euphorbia trigona, the African milk tree,Timothy K. Broschat, Alan W. Meerow. ''Betrock's Reference Guide to Florida Landscape Plants''. Betrock Information Systems, 1991. p. 123. cathedral cactus, or Abyssinian euphorbia, is a species of flower ...
'' – African milk tree, cathedral cactus, Abyssinian euphorbia * ''
Euphorbia tuberosa ''Euphorbia tuberosa'', commonly known as '"milkball/melkbol"' or '"wilderamenas"', is a variable geophytic plant of the family Euphorbiaceae, indigenous to the western parts of South Africa. Description A highly variable species, that has ...
'' * ''
Euphorbia virosa ''Euphorbia virosa'', the Gifboom or poison tree, is a plant of the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It has a short main stem, usually twisted, from which 5–10 cm branches emerge. These leafless branches have 5 to 8 edges. Paired thorns grow ...
'' – gifboom or poison tree


Hybrids

''Euphorbia'' has been extensively hybridised for garden use, with many
cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s available commercially. Moreover, some hybrid plants have been found growing in the wild, for instance ''E.'' × ''martini'' Rouy, a cross of ''E. amygdaloides'' × ''E. characias'' subsp. ''characias'', found in southern France.


Subgenera

The genus ''Euphorbia'' is one of the largest and most complex genera of flowering plants, and several botanists have made unsuccessful attempts to subdivide the genus into numerous smaller genera. According to the recent
phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...
studies, ''Euphorbia'' can be divided into four subgenera, each containing several
section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sign ...
s and groups. Of these, subgenus '' Esula'' is the most basal. The subgenera ''
Chamaesyce ''Chamaesyce'' is a genus of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae. Recent phylogenetic studies have shown that ''Chamaesyce'' is deeply nested within the broader ''Euphorbia''. Specifically, ''Chamaesyce'' is very closely related to plants like '' ...
'' and ''
Euphorbia ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...
'' are probably
sister taxa In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and t ...
, but very closely related to subgenus ''Rhizanthium''. Extensive
xeromorph A xerophyte (from Ancient Greek language, Greek ξηρός ''xeros'' 'dry' + φυτόν ''phuton'' 'plant') is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water, such as a desert such as the Sahara or pl ...
adaptations in all probability evolved several times; it is not known if the common ancestor of the cactus-like ''Rhizanthium'' and ''Euphorbia'' lineages had been xeromorphic—in which case a more normal morphology would have re-evolved namely in ''Chamaesyce''—or whether extensive xeromorphism is entirely
polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of converg ...
even to the level of the subgenera. * ''Esula'' Image:Light green flowers.jpg,
Wood spurge ''Euphorbia amygdaloides'', the wood spurge, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to woodland locations in Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus. It is a bushy evergreen perennial, growing to a height of , with dark green ...

''Euphorbia amygdaloides'' Image:Zypressenwolfsmilch01.jpg,
Cypress spurge ''Euphorbia cyparissias'', the cypress spurge, is a species of plant in the genus ''Euphorbia''. It is native to Europe and was introduced to North America in the 1860s as an ornamental plant. Natural habitat types include dunes, pannes, coast ...

''Euphorbia cyparissias'' Image:Euphorbia esula.jpeg,
Leafy spurge Leafy spurge may refer to several species of plant in the genus ''Euphorbia'', including: * '' Euphorbia esula'', native to central and southern Europe * ''Euphorbia virgata ''Euphorbia virgata'', commonly known as leafy spurge, wolf's milk leaf ...

''Euphorbia esula'' Image:Euphorbia myrsinites.JPG,
Myrtle spurge ''Euphorbia myrsinites'', the myrtle spurge, blue spurge, or broad-leaved glaucous-spurge, is a succulent species of flowering plant in the spurge family (biology), family Euphorbiaceae. Distribution The plant is native plant, native to southeast ...

''Euphorbia myrsinites''
* ''Rhizanthium'' Image:Euphorbia ferox2 ies.jpg, ''
Euphorbia ferox ''Euphorbia ferox'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of a genus ...
'' Image:E flanaganii ies.jpg, ''
Euphorbia flanaganii ''Euphorbia flanaganii'', commonly known as Transkei medusa's head, is a succulent plant that belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. Due to the breadth of the Euphorbiaceae, little research specific to ''E. flanaganii'' has been conducted. Taxon ...
'' Image:E meloformis valida ies.jpg, ''Euphorbia meloformis'' ssp. ''valida'' Image:E obesa symmetrica ies.jpg, ''Euphorbia obesa'' ssp. ''symmetrica''
* ''Chamaesyce'' Image:Chamaesyce cyathia.jpg, ''
Euphorbia celastroides ''Euphorbia celastroides'' is a flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is referred to by the common name akoko by Hawaiians, and is a species of spurge closely related to the poinsettia. This species develops into a round-shape shrub. T ...
'' Image:Euphorbia heterophylla with cyathia.JPG,
Painted euphorbia ''Euphorbia heterophylla'', also known under the common names of Mexican fireplant, painted euphorbia, Japanese poinsettia, paintedleaf, painted spurge and milkweed, is a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family. Distribution ''Euph ...

''Euphorbia heterophylla'' Image:E pulcherrima ies.jpg,
Poinsettia The poinsettia ( or ) (''Euphorbia pulcherrima'') is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834 ...

''Euphorbia pulcherrima'' Image:E rivae ies.jpg, ''
Euphorbia rivae ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...
''
* ''Euphorbia'' Image:E actinoclada ies.jpg, ''
Euphorbia actinoclada ''Euphorbia actinoclada'' is a species of plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is endemic to Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. As most other succulent members of the genus ''Euphorbia'', its trade is regulated under Appendix II of CITES CITES ...
'' Image:E attastoma attastoma ies.jpg, ''Euphorbia attastoma'' var. ''attastoma'' Image:E confinalis rhodesica ies.jpg, ''Euphorbia confinalis'' ssp. ''rhodesica'' Image:E lupulina ies.jpg, ''
Euphorbia lupulina ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...
'' Image:Euphorbia neriifolia Hong Kong.jpg, '' Euphorbia neriifolia''


See also

* ''Euphorbia'' subg. ''Poinsettia''


References


Further reading

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* *
International Euphorbia Society

IPNI
{{Authority control Medicinal plants Euphorbiaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Poisonous plants