rubber-hedge euphorbia

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African milkbush
• fingertree
• milkhedge
• naked-lady
• penciltree
• petroleum-plant

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Euphorbia tirucalli var. rhipsaloides
• Euphorbia laro
• Euphorbia media
• Euphorbia media var. bagshawei
• Euphorbia geayi
• Euphorbia rhipsaloides
• Euphorbia suareziana
• Euphorbia scoparia
• Arthrothamnus tirucalli
• Tirucalia indica
• Tirucalia tirucalli

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Euphorbiaceae and specifically identified by the genus Euphorbia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution spanning multiple continents and climatic zones. In Southwestern Europe, its presence is specifically noted in Spain. Moving across the Mediterranean, it can also be found in Northern Africa within Tunisia. The species extends to the Macaronesian islands, specifically reaching Cape Verde. Finally, its range continues through West Tropical Africa, where it inhabits both Ghana and Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Euphorbia tirucalli is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 1465 m AMSL. This species is specifically adapted to arid and semi-arid environments, predominantly occupying habitats such as dry bushland, thickets, and coastal bushland. Its presence in these specific niches indicates a high tolerance for well-drained soils and varying degrees of moisture availability typical of scrubland ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

1465 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

30 m AMSL

Habitat :

dry bushland, thickets, coastal bushland

Life history

The life history of Euphorbia tirucalli is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist in its environment over many years. It functions primarily as a phanerophyte, maintaining its photosynthetic structures above the ground, while its specific growth habit and stature also categorize it as a nanophanerophyte. Throughout its existence, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its distinctive succulent, cylindrical branches remain functional and green across different seasons rather than shedding leaves seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Euphorbia tirucalli is characterized by a woody growth form that can manifest as either a shrub or a tree. It is a terrestrial, independent plant that does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, with dimensions ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 9 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 4.33 m. Structurally, it is a self-supporting organism rather than a climber, liana, or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

9 m

Plant height mean:

4.33333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Euphorbia tirucalli is characterized by a specialized leaf morphology and a specific metabolic framework. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation and energy production. Its leaves are notably small and slender, exhibiting a mean length of 1.1 cm, with measurements ranging from a minimum of 0.7 cm to a maximum of 1.5 cm. The width of these leaves is similarly narrow, maintaining a mean width of 0.11 cm, with values spanning from a minimum of 0.07 cm to a maximum of 0.15 cm. Despite its structural adaptations, the plant does not exhibit succulence and lacks the physiological capability to function as a nitrogen fixer.

Leaf length max:

1.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

1.1 cm

Leaf length min:

0.7 cm

Leaf width max:

0.15 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.11 cm

Leaf width min:

0.07 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Euphorbia tirucalli is characterized by a specific reproductive strategy where self-fertilization is notably absent, necessitating cross-pollination for successful seed set. The plant produces fruits that are remarkably consistent in dimension, maintaining a mean, minimum, and maximum length of 0.8 cm, as well as a mean, minimum, and maximum width of 0.8 cm, resulting in a uniform spherical or near-spherical fruit shape. The seeds produced are relatively small and consistent in size, with a recorded mean, minimum, and maximum seed mass of 0.0149 g. Regarding the dispersal of these seeds, the species exhibits an autochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning it relies on an autochorous mechanism where the fruit itself facilitates the expulsion or scattering of seeds, rather than relying on external agents like wind, water, or animals.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Fruit length max:

0.8 cm

Fruit width max:

0.8 cm

Seed mass mean:

0.0149 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Euphorbia tirucalli has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem.

Stem

1. Molekuliarnaia biologiia

Chemicals

Euphorbia tirucalli has 14 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Euphol, 3,3'-di-o-methyl ellagic acid, BETA-SITOSTEROL, Caoutchouc, HENTRIACONTANE.

Euphol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Investigational new drugs
3. PloS one

3,3'-di-o-methyl ellagic acid

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

Caoutchouc

1. Dr. Duke

HENTRIACONTANE

1. Dr. Duke

Hentriacontanol

1. Dr. Duke

TIRUCALLOL

1. Dr. Duke

Taraxasterol

1. Dr. Duke

citric acid

1. Dr. Duke

ellagic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Euphorbia tirucalli has 117 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include ACE-Inhibitor, Abortifacient, Acetylcholinergic, Additive, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor.

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Additive

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha-Amylase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic

1. Dr. Duke

Angiogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Anorexic

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Euphorbia tirucalli has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Burkitt's lymphoma, cancer, tumors.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations