Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia

Euphorbia polycnemoides Hochst. ex Boiss.

First published in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 15(2): 46 (1862)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Dry Tropical Africa, Arabian Peninsula. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Annual with branching stems erect to 35 cm. high, glabrous except occasionally for a few long, scattered hairs on the basal branches and leaves, the whole plant often tinged red.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves subsessile, lanceolate, to 18 × 4 mm., base obliquely rounded to subcordate, apex rounded apiculate, margin entire in the lower half, serrated in the upper half, sometimes obscurely so; stipules ± 1 mm. long, linear and toothed at the broader base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Cyathia
Cyathia solitary on peduncles 1 mm. long, terminal and pseudoaxillary on short leafy shoots, 1 × 1 mm., with cup-shaped involucres; glands 4, minute, transversely elliptic, often red, with minute pink or red lobed appendages; involucral lobes triangular, toothed, 0.5 mm. long.
sex Male
Male flowers few:bracteoles filamentous; stamens 1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flower:ovary pedicellate; styles ± 0.5 mm. long, bifid almost to the base. Male flowers few:bracteoles filamentous; stamens 1 mm. long.
sex Female
Female flower:ovary pedicellate; styles ± 0.5 mm. long, bifid almost to the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule exserted on a reflexed pedicel 1.5 mm. long, acutely 3-lobed, 1.5 × 1.5 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds oblong-conical, 1 × 0.5 mm., pinkish brown, with 3–4 distinct transverse wrinkled ridges and grooves.
Figures
Fig. 79/5–7, p. 427.
Habitat
Wooded grassland; 275–1530 m.
Distribution
T6 T7 T8 from Ethiopia and the Sudan westwards to Nigeria, and south through Zaire to northern Zambia and Malawi
[FTEA]

Euphorbiaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit
An erect, slender, usually much-branched annual herb, to 18 in. high; stems often tinged crimson
Morphology Leaves
Leaves glaucous
Ecology
In savannah and as a farm weed.
[FWTA]

Euphorbiaceae, S. Carter & L.C. Leach. Flora Zambesiaca 9:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb with branching stems erect to 35 cm high, glabrous except occasionally for a few long scattered hairs on the basal branches and leaves, the whole plant often tinged red.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves subsessile; stipules c. 1 mm long, linear and toothed at the broad base; lamina to 15 × 4 mm, lanceolate, rounded and apiculate at the apex, obliquely rounded to subcordate at the base, margin entire in the lower half, toothed in the upper half, obscurely so on smaller leaves.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Cyathia
Cyathia terminal and pseudoaxillary on short leafy shoots, solitary on peduncles 1 mm long, 1 × 1 mm with cup-shaped involucres; glands 4, minute, transversely elliptic, often red, with minute pink or red lobed appendages; involucral lobes 0.5 mm long, triangular, toothed.
sex Male
Male flowers: few, bracteoles filamentous; stamens 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flower: ovary pedicellate; styles 0.5 mm long, bifid almost to the base. Male flowers: few, bracteoles filamentous; stamens 1 mm long.
sex Female
Female flower: ovary pedicellate; styles 0.5 mm long, bifid almost to the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule exserted on a reflexed pedicel 1.5 mm long, 1.5 × 1.5 mm, acutely 3-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1 × 0.5 mm, oblong-conical, with 3–4 distinct transverse wrinkled ridges and grooves, pinkish-brown.
[FZ]

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]

Common Names

English
Dove milk

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

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

  • 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

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/