Euphorbia cyathophora Murray

Global description

Euphorbia cyathophora is a herbaceous to shrubby annual plant, erect to ascending, grows up to 1.50 m high, glabrous or loosely hairy, with multicellular hairs. The stem is hollow, cylindrical with ribbed older, hollow, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, more or less yellow, containing a white latex. It bears leaves along its entire length or only at the apex in older plants. The leaves are simple, stalked, the lower leaves alternate, while the upper leaves are opposite. The blade shape is variable. The terminal leaves are fully red or white colored. Flowers are small and greenish-yellow, they are contained in small cups bearing on the edge, a small gland flattened bi-lobed . The fruit is globose to three quarters out of the cup.

Cotyledons

Cotyledons with short petioles, narrowly elliptic, 1.5 cm long and 0.6 cm wide at midrib well marked.

First leaves

First leaves are simple, alternate, petiolate with lamina elliptic, 2-4 cm and 1-2 cm wide. At this stage it is difficult to distinguish this species from E. heterophylla.

General habit

Herbaceous plant, erect, with ascending branches. Grows up to 1.50 m high.

Underground system

A taproot.

Stem

Stem is hollow, cylindrical, becoming ridged with age, glabrous to slightly pubescent. Exudes a white latex when cut.

Leaf

Leaves are simple, alternate, short petiolate. The stipules are very small and glandular, quickly falling down. The blade shape is variable, narrow, oval linear , oval- elliptical or panduriforme (violin-shaped), 3 to 10 cm long and 1-4 cm wide. The margin is entire or toothed. The venation is pinnate. The upper leaves near the inflorescence are colored with a stain orange, red or white at the base, or may be completely stained.

Inflorescence

Inflorescence are dense terminal corymbs.

Flower

Flowers consist of multiple cyathiums yellowish-green, glabrous or bearing short hair, scattered. Involucre campanulate, 3 - 4 mm in height and diameter lined by small teeth and 1-2 glands sessile bilobed.

Fruit

Fruits are capsules, globular, lobed, 4 to 5 mm in diameter, smooth, hairless. Since its formation it goes out and hangs outside the involucre, the opposite of the gland. Each capsule contains three seeds.

Seed

Seeds are truncated ellipsoid, up to 3 mm long, dark brown, not angular, covered with small tubercles sharp whitish more or less sharp.

Origin

Euphorbia cyathophora is native to South America.

Worldwide distribution

Widespread to the subtropical parts.

https://www.gbif.org/species/3063823