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''Euphorbia antisyphilitica'' is a species 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 ...
in the spurge 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 in the family. Most spurges, such as '' Euphorbia paralias'', are herbs, but some, ...
. It is native to the
Trans-Pecos The Trans-Pecos, as originally defined in 1887 by the Texas geologist Robert T. Hill, is the portion of Texas that lies west of the Pecos River. The term is considered synonymous with Far West Texas, a subdivision of West Texas. The Trans-Peco ...
of
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
and southern
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
as well as Chihuahua, Coahuila,
Hidalgo Hidalgo may refer to: People * Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility * Hidalgo (surname) Places Mexico * Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico * Hidalgo, Coahuila, a town in the north Mexican state of Coahuila * Hidalgo, Nuevo Le� ...
, and Querétaro in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. Common names include candelilla and wax plant, but the latter is more often applied to members of the unrelated genus '' Hoya''. It is shrubby and has densely clustered, erect, essentially
leaf A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
less stems that are covered in
wax Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to giv ...
to prevent
transpiration Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers. Water is necessary for plants but only a small amount of water taken up by the roots is used for growth ...
.


Uses

The white sap of ''E. antisyphilitica'' was historically used in Mexico to treat sexually-transmitted diseases. Commercial harvesting of candelilla wax began at the start of the twentieth century, with demand greatly increasing during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and II. This industry largely disappeared following the end of World War II due to diminished candelilla populations and the availability of cheaper petroleum-based waxes. Later on however, new uses were found for the wax mainly in the cosmetic and food Industries, and it is still being produced in northern Mexico and exported to other countries. ''E. antisyphilitica'' is covered under Appendix II of
CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...
given the significant international trade in its wax derivative.


Cultivation

Candelilla is gaining in popularity as a landscape plant in parts of the arid southwest. It is popular for the following reasons:Soule, Jacqueline A. 2013. ''Success With Succulents''. Tierra del Sol Press * Once established, it needs little water other than rainfall in cities such as Phoenix or Tucson, making it good as a median planting. * It can survive in areas that have reflected light. * It grows best in well-drained soils but can tolerate some clay or limestone. * It is visited by butterflies, although not commonly considered a "butterfly plant." * It is cold-tolerant to 15 degrees F. * It appears not to be bothered by pests. * It can be grown in containers.


References


External links

antisyphilitica Plants described in 1832 Flora of the Chihuahuan Desert Flora of Chihuahua (state) Flora of Coahuila Flora of Hidalgo (state) Flora of New Mexico Flora of Querétaro Flora of Texas {{Euphorbia-stub