Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia

Euphorbia dawei N.E.Br.

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 6(1): 583 (1912)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is DR Congo to Tanzania. It is a succulent tree and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Euphorbiaceae, A. R.-Smith. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1987

Morphology General Habit
Tree to 15(–25) m. high, with a simple trunk rarely branching, to 60 cm. in diameter and with fissured greyish brown bark marked with 4(–5) vertical rows of persistent spines and pit-scars resulting from fallen branches; branches spreading horizontally, to ± 4 m. long, densely and irregularly rebranching to form a rounded crown; terminal branchlets fleshy, 2–3(–4)-angled, 4–10 cm. wide, deeply and thinly winged, ± constricted at irregular intervals of 5–40 cm. into oblong segments; angles sinuately toothed with teeth 1–2.5 cm. apart.
Morphology General Spines
Spine-shields triangular to 5 × 3 mm., eventually extended to enclose the flowering eye just above; spines 2–6 mm. long; prickles rudimentary, triangular.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves persistent on young growth, obovate, to 6 × 4 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Cymes 3–7, crowded together, 1 (–2)-forked, with peduncles and cyme-branches 3–4 mm. long; bracts deltoid ± 2.5 × 2.5 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Cyathia
Cyathia ± 3 × 6.5 mm., with funnel-shaped involucres; glands transversely elliptic, ± 1.5 × 3 mm., almost touching, yellowish green; lobes transversely elliptic, ± 1.5 × 2 mm., deeply fringed.
sex Male
Male flowers:bracteoles laciniate, plumose; stamens 4.3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flower:perianth 1.5 mm. long irregularly divided into 5–9 short lobes; styles 2 mm. long, joined at the base, apices rugose, bifid. Male flowers:bracteoles laciniate, plumose; stamens 4.3 mm. long.
sex Female
Female flower:perianth 1.5 mm. long irregularly divided into 5–9 short lobes; styles 2 mm. long, joined at the base, apices rugose, bifid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule exserted on a curved pedicel to 1 cm. long, subglobose, ± 7 × 10 mm., fleshy, green flushed with red, hardening to become obtusely 3-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds subglobose, 4.5 mm. in diameter, smooth.
Habitat
Deciduous woodland, sometimes open with grassland; 800–1300 m.
Distribution
T1 T4 U2 U4
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images