Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia

Euphorbia caput-medusae L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 452 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SW. Namibia to W. & SW. Cape Prov. It is a succulent subshrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Distribution

Native to:

Cape Provinces, Namibia

Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms

Classification

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Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Bruyns, P.V. (2012). Nomenclature and typification of southern African species of Euphorbia. Bothalia 42: 217-245.
  • Bruyns, P.V. (2022). Euphorbia in Southern Africa 1: 1-474. Springer.
  • Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1-1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Möller, A. & Becker, R. (2019). Field guide to the succulent Euphorbias of Southern Africa: 1-320. BRIZA.
  • van Veldhuisen, R. (2020). Revision of the informal Euphorbia caput-medusae group. Euphorbia World 16: 17-41.

Kew Species Profiles

  • Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J. (2000). Cape Plants. A Conspectus of the Cape Flora of South Africa. National Botanical Institute, Cape Town & Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis.
  • Manning, J. & Goldblatt, P. (1996). West Coast: South African Wildflower Guide 7. Botanical Society of South Africa with the Darling Wildflower Society, Cape Town.
  • Prain, D. (1916). Euphorbia caput-medusa e L. Curtis’s Botanical Magazine t. 8673.
  • Raimondo, D. et al. (2009). Red List of South African Plants 2009. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
  • World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (2010). Euphorbia caput-medusae. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Bruyns, P.V. (2012). Nomenclature and typification of southern African species of Euphorbia. Bothalia 42: 217-245.
  • Bruyns, P.V. (2022). Euphorbia in Southern Africa 1: 1-474. Springer.

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
May 1, 2017 Pearson, H.H.W. [2261] South Africa K000253343 Syntype Yes
May 1, 2017 Marloth, R. [5733] South Africa K000253342 Type Yes
May 1, 2017 MacOwan [3286] South Africa K000253330 Lectotype No
May 1, 2017 Bolus, H. [9767] South Africa K000253331 Type No
May 1, 2017 Bachmann [1042] South Africa K000253346 Lectotype Yes
May 1, 2017 Grey, F. [s.n.] South Africa K000253345 Syntype Yes
May 1, 2017 MacOwan [3286] South Africa K000407083 Type Yes
May 1, 2017 Drège, J.F. [8202a] South Africa K000253313 Unknown Type Material Yes
May 1, 2017 Drège, J.F. [8202a] South Africa K001044663 Unknown Type Material Yes
May 1, 2017 Muir [s.n.] South Africa K000253344 Syntype Yes
Bolus, H. [9448] South Africa K000253279 Isotype Yes
Schlechter [8419] South Africa K000253329 Syntype Yes
Jan 1, 2003 Moss, C.E.; Brown, N.E. [2908] South Africa Euphorbia marlothiana K000390471 No
Dyer, R.A. [4089] South Africa Euphorbia marlothiana K000390472 No
Esterhuysen, E.E. [s.n.] South Africa Euphorbia marlothiana K000390467 No
Dyer, R.A. [4089] South Africa Euphorbia marlothiana K000390469 No
Bolus, H. [4359] South Africa Euphorbia marlothiana K000390470 No
Vander Merwe, F.Z. [s.n.] South Africa Euphorbia marlothiana K000390468 No
Rogers, F.A. [4246a] South Africa Euphorbia muirii K004796716 Yes

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • 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 2025. 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 2025. 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

  • Kew Species Profiles

    • Kew Species Profiles
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0