Euphorbia milii

Taxobox
name = "Euphorbia milii"
status = DD
status_system = IUCN3.1

---

regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Malpighiales
familia = Euphorbiaceae
genus = "Euphorbia"
species = "E. milii"
binomial = "Euphorbia milii"
binomial_authority = Desmoul.

"Euphorbia milii" (Crown-of-thorns or Christ Plant) is a species of "Euphorbia" native to Madagascar.

It is a succulent climbing shrub growing to 1.8 m tall, with densely spiny stems, the straight, slender spines up to 3 cm long, which help it scramble over other plants. The leaves are obovate, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm broad. The flowers are small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, variably red, pink or white, up to 12 mm broad.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening". ISBN 0-333-47494-5]

Varieties

It is a variable species, and several varieties have been described; some of these are treated as distinct species by some authors.

*"Euphorbia milii" var. "bevilaniensis" (Croizat) Ursch & Leandri 1955
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "hislopii" (N.E.Br.) Ursch & Leandri 1955 (syn. "E. hislopii")
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "imperatae" (Leandri) Ursch & Leandri 1955
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "longifolia" Rauh 1967
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "milii"
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "roseana" Marn.-Lap. 1962
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "splendens" (Bojer ex Hook.) Ursch & Leandri 1955
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "tananarivae" (Leandri) Ursch & Leandri 1955
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "tenuispina" Rauh & Razaf. 1991
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "tulearensis" Ursch & Leandri 1955
*"Euphorbia milii" var. "vulcanii" (Leandri) Ursch & Leandri 1955

Trivia

Wat Phrik in the Phitsanulok District of Phitsanulok Province, Thailand claims to be the home of the world's tallest Christ plant. [http://www.thaitambon.com/tambon/ttambon.asp?ID=650104 ThaiTambon.com] ]

References