#euphorbiaceae

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Euphorbia susannae

This delightful compact Euphorbia species starts out as a knobbly round head, and then produces many offshoots to form a cluster of heads. It is one of the species with separate male and female plants, and the forking stigmas visible in the photo indicate that our plant is a female. From South Africa's Little Karoo region, an area rich in succulent plants.

-Brian

[syngoniums]

Snow-on-the-prairie (Euphorbia bicolor) and wild sunflowers (Helianthus annus) bordering some newly bulldozed land.

[francescointoppa]

Euforbia delle faggete (Euphorbia amygdaloides L., Euphorbiaceae)

[nh-art]

Present

[faguscarolinensis]

Acalypha herzogiana / Dwarf Chenille Plant at the JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC

[izharryalisar]

Euphorbia tulearensis hybrid

[rattyexplores]

Two different Euphorbias

Top images - Euphorbia maculata Bottom images - Euphorbia prostrata

20/03/23

[wenbochenphoto]

A Euphorbiaceae shrub on the western slope of the Andes, Jatropha sp. 大戟科麻风树��

[falseandrealultravival]

Today's Haiku with Picture 558

Not knowing the name

The Euphorbiaceae family

There is no doubt

名は知らぬ

トウダイグサ科に

違いなし

(2023.04.16)

[drhoz]

#1958 - Euphorbia glauca - Shore Spurge

It was growing right next to the Mirror Bush. I’m glad @purrdence​ spotted it because if she’d left it a few more years it might be very difficult to find. New Zealand’s only native Euphorbia, which is surprising since the genus has a worldwide distribution and a huge number of species - over 2000.

AKA sea spurge, waiu-atua, waiū-o-Kahukura, and sand milkweed.  Named for thin powdery bloom on the leaves, and Euphorbus, a Greek physician who served King Juba of Numidia in 12BC. Juba suppsedly named a cactus to honour of Euphorbus (rather unlikely to be a cactus in that part of the world - most likely one of the spiny, cactus-like Spurges) and later Linnaeus named the entire genus after the physician.

A perennial herb with multiple erect stems up to 1m tall, and underground rhizomes. Each flower, produced from October to February, is surrounded by a deep red cup-like structure with purple glands. Fruit, as here, occur from December to May. As with other Euphorbia, the sap a corrosive milky juice. 

Endemic to New Zealand and the Chatham Island, growing on coastal cliffs, banks and talus slopes, sand dunes and rocky lakeshore scarps.

Cattle, sheep, pigs and possums are threats throughout the species range, mainly through browsing and trampling. Competition from taller weedy plants is significant. Coastal development such as road widening, and erosion, are further threats to most populations. Some populations on the West Coast of the South Island appear to have succumbed to a fungal disease.

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Euphorbia caerulescens

This South African Euphorbia forms large clusters of spiny cylindrical stems that look quite cactus-like. Its flowers, however, prove that it is indeed a Euphorbia: they are tiny and held within a cup-like cyathium. On the edges of the cup are five yellow glands, and these collectively make a striking display when it flowers. From an arid inland area called the "noorsveld", to the northwest of Port Elizabeth. The name of this species is commonly spelled "coerulescens", but caerulescens is the correct spelling.

-Brian

[syngoniums]

The flowers of medusoid euphorbias (all pictured plants are hybrids) are very small, but very cute.

[francescointoppa]

Euforbia prostrata (Euphorbia prostrata Aiton, Euphorbiaceae)

[nh-art]

Tilt

[faguscarolinensis]

Euphorbia lactea 'White Ghost' / 'White Ghost' Milk Tree at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

[ph-dm]