''Euphorbia milii'', the crown of thorns, Christ plant, or Christ thorn, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

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 Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Euphorbiaceae,

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

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 ...

. The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Réunion, who introduced the species to France in 1821. It is imagined that the species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times, and legend associates it with the

crown of thorns According to the New Testament, a woven crown of thorns ( or grc, ἀκάνθινος στέφανος, akanthinos stephanos, label=none) was placed on the head of Jesus during the events leading up to his crucifixion. It was one of the in ...

worn by Christ. It is commonly used as an ornamental houseplant that can be grown in warmer climates. The common name is due to the thorns and deep red bracts referring to the crown thorn Jesus had to wear during his crucifixion and his blood.

Description

It is a woody succulent subshrub or shrub growing to tall, with densely spiny stems. The straight, slender spines, up to long, help it scramble over other plants. The fleshy, green leaves are found mainly on new growth, and are up to long and broad. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, variably red, pink or white, up to broad. Wat Phrik in Thailand claims to be the home of the world's tallest Christ thorn plant.ThaiTambon.com
/ref> The plant thrives between spring and summer but produces flowers all year round. Mutation in Crown of thorns

Toxicity

The sap is moderately poisonous, and causes irritation on contact with skin or eyes. If ingested, it causes severe stomach pain, irritation of the throat and mouth, and vomiting. The poisonous ingredients have been identified as

phorbol esters Phorbol esters are a class of chemical compounds found in a variety of plants, particularly in the families Euphorbiaceae and Thymelaeaceae. Chemically, they are ester derivatives of the tetracyclic diterpenoid phorbol. Biological activity Prote ...

. It is very toxic to domesticated animals such as, horses, sheep, cats and dogs. For humans it is mildly toxic and only acts as an irritant.

Uses

Pesticide

The plant itself has proven to be an effective molluscicide and a natural alternative to pest control. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the usage of ''Euphorbia milii'' in aiding snail control. Especially in endemic countries. Schistosomiasis is an infectious disease from freshwater parasites, carried by snails. Extracts from the plant are used to control the snail population to avoid getting infected from a parasite.

Varieties

''E. milii'' is a variable species, and several

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

have been described; some of these are treated as distinct species by some authors. '' E. milii var. splendens'' (syn. ''E. splendens'') is considered to be the living embodiment of the supreme deity in

Bathouism Bathouism (also, Bathou) is the folk religion of the Boro people of Assam in Northeast India. The name ('','' five; '','' deep) in Boro means ''five principles''. The five principles are: (air), (fire), (earth), (water) and (ether). The ...

, a minority religion practiced by the

Bodo people Boro (बर'/बड़ो ), also called Bodo, is the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Assam state of India. They are a part of the greater Bodo-Kachari family of ethnolinguistic groups and are spread across northeastern India. They are ...

of Eastern

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and

Nepal Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...

. *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''bevilaniensis'' ( Croizat) Ursch & Leandri 1955 *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''hislopii'' (

N.E.Br. Nicholas Edward Brown (11 July 1849 in Redhill, Surrey – 25 November 1934 in Kew Gardens, London) was an English plant taxonomist and authority on succulents. He was also an authority on several families of plants, including Asclepiadacea ...

) Ursch & Leandri 1955 (syn. ''E. hislopii'') *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''imperatae'' ( Leandri) Ursch & Leandri 1955 *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''longifolia'' Rauh 1967 *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''milii'' *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''roseana'' Marn.-Lap. 1962 * ''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''splendens'' ( Bojer ex

Hook. Sir William Jackson Hooker (6 July 178512 August 1865) was an English botanist and botanical illustrator, who became the first director of Kew when in 1841 it was recommended to be placed under state ownership as a botanic garden. At Kew h ...

) Ursch & Leandri 1955 *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''tananarivae'' ( Leandri) Ursch & Leandri 1955 *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''tenuispina'' Rauh & Razaf. 1991 *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''tulearensis'' Ursch & Leandri 1955 *''Euphorbia milii'' var. ''vulcanii'' ( Leandri) Ursch & Leandri 1955

Cultivation

''Euphorbia milii'' can be propagated from cuttings. ''E. milii'' is not hardy, and does not tolerate temperatures below . In temperate areas it needs to be grown under glass in full sun. During the summer it may be placed outside in a sheltered spot, when all risk of frost is absent. The species and the variety ''E. milii'' var. ''splendens'' have both gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

’s Award of Garden Merit.

Gallery

File:Euphorbia Milii-crown of Thorns.jpg, ''Euphorbia milii'', crown of thorns File:Christ thorn flowers just opening.jpg, Christ thorn inflorescences (cyathia) opening File:Emerging stem.jpg, Emerging stem Christ thorn flower close up view.jpg, Christ thorn inflorescence (cyathium) close up view Image:Euphorbiamilli.jpg, ''Euphorbia milii ''var'' splendens'' Image:Euphorbia sp 01.jpg, ''Euphorbia milii'' Image:E milii vulcanii ies.jpg, ''Euphorbia milii ''var''. vulcanii'' Image:Euphorbia milii var.milii.JPG, ''Euphorbia milii ''var''. milii'' Image:Cyathium cross1 ies.jpg, Longitudinal section of the cyathium File:Mahkota duri.jpg, Grown in

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

File:Euphorbia milii buds.jpg, Flower buds of crown-of-thorns (''Euphorbia milii''). File:Infected euphorbia flower.jpg, Infected euphorbia inflorescences (cyathia) File:Euphorbia milii in Malaysia.jpg, Close-up view of ''Euphorbia milii'' File:Euphorbia milii Prague 2011 1.jpg, In Prague botanic garden EUPHORBIAMILII.jpg, ''Euphorbia milii'' from Kerala, India File:Euphorbia milii-1.jpg, ''Euphorbia milii'' in Pakistan File:Euphorbia milii bd2.jpg, ''Euphorbia milii'' in Bangladesh. File:Euphorbia milii bd3.jpg, Thorns of ''Euphorbia milii''. File:Leaf of Euphorbia milii.jpg, Leaf of ''Euphorbia milii'' from the back. File:Euphorbia milii bd.jpg, Leaf of ''Euphorbia milii'' from the back.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q148829 milii Endemic flora of Madagascar Data deficient plants Taxa named by Charles des Moulins