Euphorbia curvirama Seeds - Cape Candelabra Tree - Indigenous Endemic Drought Tolerant Succulent

Euphorbia curvirama Seeds

Cape Candelabra Tree, Kei Candelabra Tree; Kaapse Kandelaarnaboom, Kei-naboom

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. Many species are more or less succulent, thorny or unarmed. The main stem and mostly also the side arms of the succulent species are thick and fleshy. 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 curvirama commonly known as Cape Candelabra Tree or Kei Candelabra Tree in English and Kaapse Kandelaarnaboom or Kei-naboom in Afrikaans is a South African endemic succulent found exclusively in the Eastern Cape Province. Under ideal conditions it can form a small tree as it does in its natural habitat. They have almost symmetrical spiny succulent stems and are said to be botanically close to several other species of the genus, like Euphorbia triangularis and Euphorbia tetragona.