In Tanzania - International Euphorbia Society

in habitat<br />

<strong>In</strong> <strong>Tanzania</strong><br />

by Jeffery J. Morawetz<br />

<strong>Euphorbia</strong> gossypina Pax is a pencil-stem<br />

succulent species belonging to subgenus<br />

Esula. It’s habit and fruits are shown here,<br />

where we found it while on our way to<br />

Chome village in the Same District, Kilimanjaro<br />

Region<br />

<strong>Euphorbia</strong> World<br />

16

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<strong>In</strong> Vol. 6(3) Jeffery J. Morawetz took<br />

us on a journey to Tanzanzia. Now<br />

he adds some more pictures to show<br />

us the wealth of <strong>Euphorbia</strong> species to<br />

be found in this East African country.<br />

Acknowledgements: William<br />

Kindeketa, Haji Suleiman, Neduvoto<br />

Mollel, Flora Ismail, Roy Gereau,<br />

COSTECH & the <strong>Tanzania</strong> Botanical<br />

Research and Conservation Programme.<br />

<strong>Euphorbia</strong> buruana Pax is a strongly<br />

winged species in the spine-shield group<br />

(subgenus <strong>Euphorbia</strong> section <strong>Euphorbia</strong>).<br />

This specimen was collected not far<br />

from E. gossypina en route to Chome village.<br />

<strong>Euphorbia</strong> World<br />

Also en route to Chome, we came across these nice specimens of the arborescent<br />

spine-shield species <strong>Euphorbia</strong> nyikae Pax ex Engl. The spine-shield<br />

<strong>Euphorbia</strong> species often have unornamented yellow cyathial glands, as<br />

shown here, and in E. buruana.<br />

17<br />

17<br />

<strong>Euphorbia</strong> SEEd in habitat atlaS<br />

Vol. 7 n. 3 - dEcEmbEr 2011

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in <strong>Euphorbia</strong> habitat<br />

SEEd atlaS<br />

The road to Chome was filled with <strong>Euphorbia</strong>!<br />

Here we have the shrubby E. cuneata Vahl with<br />

its characteristic spine-tipped branches. This species<br />

belongs to subgenus Rhizanthium. Check<br />

out those cup-like green cyathial glands!<br />

18<br />

Here we have the herbaceous <strong>Euphorbia</strong><br />

crotonoides subsp. crotonoides Boiss.,<br />

a member of subgenus Rhizanthium. This<br />

species was collected in the western Rukwa<br />

Region, between Sumbawanga and Mpanda.

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<strong>Euphorbia</strong> World<br />

<strong>Euphorbia</strong> SEEd in habitat<br />

atlaS<br />

One of my favourite species of all, <strong>Euphorbia</strong> neospinescens Bruyns<br />

(formerly Monadenium spinescens (Pax) P.R.O.Bally) was collected in the<br />

Morogoro Region. It was particularly difficult to collect: not only are the<br />

stems heavily armed with spines, the leaf margins and midrib also bear<br />

sharp points!<br />

19<br />

Finally, here is a shot of the typical orange soils and hills around<br />

Same. There are several <strong>Euphorbia</strong> heterochroma Pax scattered<br />

in the foreground. Same District was great for <strong>Euphorbia</strong>: we collected<br />

nine different species in just four hours!<br />

Vol. 7 n. 3 - dEcEmbEr 2011