Euphorbia bubalina Seeds - Endemic Indigenous Succulent - Combined Shipping, NEW

Euphorbia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Consisting of 2008 species, Euphorbia is the fourth largest genus of flowering plants. The family is primarily found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and the Americas, but also in temperate zones worldwide. Succulent species originate mostly from Africa, the Americas and Madagascar. The common name "spurge" derives from the Middle English/Old French espurge ("to purge"), due to the use of the plant's sap as a medicinal purgative. The plants are annual or perennial herbs, woody shrubs or trees with a caustic, poisonous milky sap (latex).  

In the genus Euphorbia, succulence in the species has often evolved divergently and to differing degrees. Sometimes it is difficult to decide, and it is a question of interpretation, whether or not a species is really succulent or "only" xerophytic. In some cases, especially with geophytes, plants closely related to the succulents are normal herbs.

About 850 species are succulent in the strictest sense. If one includes slightly succulent and xerophytic species, this figure rises to about 1000, representing about 45% of all Euphorbia species. Smaller Euphorbias make excellent potted plants while larger species are valuable landscaping plants.

Euphorbia bubalina commonly known as Bosmelkbos in Afrikaans is a South African endemic succulent found exclusively in the Eastern Cape Province. It is a spineless succulent shrub with cylindrical stems and with leaves alternately arranged. It grows from 30cm to 60cm tall and looks like a Euphorbia clava, only leafier and the cyathia is on even longer stalks. The stems are also woodier looking than the succulent green stems of Euphorbia clava. Euphorbia bubalina, synonymously known as Euphorbia laxiflora was described by Pierre Edmond Boissier in 1860.