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E. valida has persistent peduncles, leading to a bristly
appearance.
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Description:
Although some consider Euphorbia valida as
synonymous with
E. meloformis, E.
valida has more persistent peduncles, leading to a
bristly appearance, and the mature plants are much taller than E.
meloformis. It has round
banded stems with 8 to 12 ribs. The variegations on the
plant body are a little less striking than E. meloformis.
Occasionally
there are offsets from the
base. It is very similar in look to
E. obesa, but with small
yellow flowers on long peduncles which dry and persist on the plant
after blooming. It needs male and female plants in order to set seed.
The male flower consists of one nude stamen only;
several such flowers are grouped in a
pseudanthium (Cyathium). They
develop asynchronously, with usually only one or just a few (ca. 3-5)
mature, pollen releasing flowers (stamina) in different stages of
maturity present at the same time. After releasing the pollen, they are
dropped soon.
A female Cyathium of this group usually contains a single flower, which
consists of a
syncarpous
gynoecium of three
carpels with one ovule each,
and three styles that are joined at the base. The fruit is a dry
capsule
that "explodes" when it turns mature, catapulting the seeds that it
contains (usually 3) up to several meters away from the mother plant. |
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Cultivation:
It likes a sunny position.
It does best in a mineral soil, and good drainage is essential.
Water
sparingly during the summer months, and keep dry in winter.
It is a slow-growing, long-lived plant and, once established, it will be content in its
position and with its soil for years. It can tolerate moderate shade,
and a plant that has been growing in shade should be slowly hardened off
before placing it in full sun, as the plant will be severely scorched if
moved too suddenly from shade into sun. It is propagated from seed
sown during spring or summer.
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Family: Euphorbiaceae
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Scientific name:
Euphorbia valida
N.E. Br.
Origin: South Africa (Cape Province)
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
Synonyms:
- Euphorbia meloformis ssp. Valida (N.E. Brown) G.D.
Rowley
Subspecies or variety?
Recently G. Marx placed Euphorbia valida as a subspecies under
Euphorbia meloformis. These species are closely related, and for
an outsider it is very difficult to distinguish them. There are
some differences, though.
It would be even better to place them as a variety
instead of a subspecies, because at many places intermediate populations
can be found.
Like several other succulent Euphorbias of the E. meloformis/obesa/valida
group, E. valida is dioecious, which means that unisexual flowers
are found in unisexual inflorescences on either "male" or "female"
plants.
A young male specimen.
Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of
Euphorbia meloformis.
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Cultivation
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