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Euphorbia pugniformis

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Euphorbia pugniformis
Of all the dwarf succulent South African Euphorbia this is undoubtedly one the most striking and popular.
 

Note: As with all other Euphorbias when a plant get damaged it exudes a thick white milky sap known as latex. The latex is a violent emetic and purgative and is used by natives for the purpose of curing indigestion and constipation. The sap is highly irritant, however. A case of death from drinking a concoction of the plant is on record. A yellow resinous substance in this plant called Euphorbin can cause terrible blistering of the skin.

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Family: Euphorbiaceae

Scientific name:  Euphorbia pugniformis Boissier
In: PSRV 15(2):92, 1862

Origin: South Africa, Western and Eastern Cape, over a wide coastal area from King Williams Town westward to Mossel Bay.

Habitat: Grows in sandy places.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Etymology: Latin "pugnus"= "fist" and Latin "-formis"= "-shaped"
perhaps for the shape of the branches.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:

  • Euphorbia procumbens Miller

Description: Euphorbia pugniformis is a dwarf spineless “medusaform” Euphorbia that in its normal form has two to three rows of lateral shoots around the deepen tip of a swollen succulent base. It is closely related to E. gorgonis and can be confused with E. woodii but it is smaller.
Root: Merging into stem.
Stem: The main stem (caudex), is partly buried in the ground arises from root forming a subglobose and slightly depressed body 5-8 cm thick, the central growing point is densely tuberculate. It is crowned with numerous radiating branches, that are relatively skinny, cylindrical and tapering toward the tips ± 8 mm Ř, 5-30 cm long, tessellately covered with tubercles up to 3 mm long.
Leaves: Each tubercle bears one lanceolate, deciduaous, green leaflet up to 4-8 mm long.
Flowers: Cyathia solitary yellowish-green, produced mostly around the central stem tip, peduncle up to 4 mm with minutely toothed greenish-yellow nectar glands.
 

 




Cultivation: This is a relatively fast growing species, It like a sunny position and does best in a mineral soil, but is tolerant of a wide range of soil types. Good drainage is essential. Water sparingly during the summer months and keep quite dry in winter. 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.

Propagation: Seeds cuttings.


Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of
Euphorbia pugniformis.

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Encyclopaedia of Succulents. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.