Euphorbia gossypina
Euphorbiaceae FAMILY

Euphorbia gossypina

Euphorbia gossypina

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

Although we have seen no specific information for this plant, the latex in most, if not all Euphorbias is caustic and toxic - skin contact often causing irritation and blistering; contact with the eyes causing temporary or even permanent blindness; whilst ingestion can cause purging or more severe problems[ K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ].

Botanical Description

Euphorbia gossypina is an unarmed, much-branched, succulent, evergreen shrub with a sprawling habit; it can grow up to 1.5 metres tall, sometimes scrambling into surrounding vegetation and then able to grow up to 4 metres high[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ]. The spreading branches are around 1cm thick, with dark brown leaf-scares becoming more or less prominent on older branches[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ]. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeEast tropical Africa - ?Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
HabitatAcacia-Commiphora bushland; lightly wooded grassland; at elevations from 15 - 1,900 metres[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ].