Euphorbia espinosa Pax

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Photo: Rob Burrett
South-West of Hwange Town

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near the Hide, Hippo Pools

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Synonyms:	Euphorbia gynophora Pax Euphorbia nodosa N.E. Br.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Woody, unarmed shrub or small tree. Bark smooth, shiny, olive-green with brown papery strips peeling off. Leaves oblong-elliptic, 3.5-5.5 cm long with widely spaced, yellowish veins; margin entire, petiole up to 12 mm long. Flowers in subsessile clusters along the branches, yellowish-green. Fruit a 3-lobed capsule, c. 8 mm in diameter, blue-green.
Notes:	This species resembles Euphorbia matabelensis but that species has branchlets characteristically in whorls of 3.
Derivation of specific name:	espinosa: without spines
Habitat:	In mopane, miombo and other deciduous woodland, often on rocky outcrops and hillsides.
Altitude range:	300 - 1400 m
Flowering time:	Jul - Nov
Worldwide distribution:	Southern Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Caprivi-Namibia.
Malawi distribution:	N,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Carter, S. & Leach, L.C. (2001). Euphorbiaceae: subfamily Euphorbioideae: tribe Euphorbieae Flora Zambesiaca 9(5) Pages 390 - 391. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 527 - 528. Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 337. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 253. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 41. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 56. Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 36. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 207. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 88 - 89. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 98 - 99. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Euphorbia espinosa:

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Flora of Botswana: Euphorbia espinosa
Flora of Caprivi: Euphorbia espinosa
Flora of Zambia: Euphorbia espinosa
Flora of Zimbabwe: Euphorbia espinosa

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Euphorbia espinosa
African Plant Database: Euphorbia espinosa
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Euphorbia espinosa
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Euphorbia espinosa
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Euphorbia espinosa
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Euphorbia espinosa
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Euphorbia espinosa
JSTOR Plant Science: Euphorbia espinosa
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Euphorbia espinosa
Plants of the World Online: Euphorbia espinosa
Tropicos: Euphorbia espinosa
Wikipedia: Euphorbia espinosa