Euphorbia tirucalli
Rubber-hedge euphorbia
Euphorbia tirucailli, commonly known as the Firestick Euphorbia, is a striking succulent native to Africa. Characterized by its slender, leafless green stems, this plant is prized for its ornamental beauty. In traditional medicine, its milky latex is carefully utilized for its potent bioactive compounds to treat various ailments.
- Scientific name: Euphorbia tirucalli
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Europe
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.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Euphorbia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Euphorbia tirucalli, is recognized by various common names across different languages and regions. In Russian, it is referred to as Молочай тирукалли, while in Rwanda, it is called Umuyenzi. Its name in Chinese is 绿玉树, and in Portuguese, it is known as Avelós. Additionally, in Malayalam, the plant is identified as തിരുക്കള്ളി.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ru | Молочай тирукалли | Wikidata |
| rw | Umuyenzi | Wikidata |
| zh | 绿玉树 | Wikidata |
| pt | Avelós | Wikidata |
| ml | തിരുക്കള്ളി | Wikidata |
| de | Bleistiftstrauch | Wikidata |
| ar | صبار أم اللبن | Wikidata |
| ms | tentulang | Wikidata |
| te | సన్న జెముడు | Wikidata |
| ja | ミドリサンゴ | Wikidata |
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.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Tunisia | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Cape Verde | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Burundi | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Rwanda | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as Firestick Euphorbia, is characterized by its unique succulent structure where the primary photosynthetic functions are carried out by its slender, cylindrical green stems. These stems are leafless and highly specialized, acting as the main body of the plant to store water and nutrients. When the stems are broken or injured, the plant immediately exudes a thick, milky sap. This viscous substance is actually a specialized latex that serves as a defense mechanism against herbivores. Because this latex can be highly irritating to the skin and eyes, it is a defining biological feature of the Euphorbia tirucalli species.- Total parts
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 5
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| latex | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sap | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Latex | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Euphorbia tirucalli has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Euphol.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Euphol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Euphorbia tirucalli has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiangiogenic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antiangiogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Euphorbia tirucalli has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Burkitt's lymphoma, cancer, tumors.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Burkitt's lymphoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumors | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |