Euphorbia neriifolia

Euphorbia neriifolia L., Sp. Pl. 1: 451. 1753; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 11: 300; Upadhyaya & Sathish, A review of Euphorbia neriifolia plant. Ind. Jour. Pharm. & Chem. Res. 3(2): 149-154. 2017; E. ligularia Roxb. ex Buch.-Ham., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 14: 285. 1825.

Armed, glabrous, succulent, much branched, leafless for most of the year, trees or shrubs, 2-6 m tall. Branches 1-5 cm thick, succulent green, cylindrical, with 5 spiral ranks of tubercles on more or less distinct angles (not winged), ascending, branching from upper parts, younger branches somewhat verticellate without articulations. Leaves alternate, apically clustered, persistent, succulent; petiole short, 2-4 mm long; leaf blade obovate, obovate-oblong or spathulate, 4.5-18 cm x 1.5-5 cm, base attenuated, margin entire, apex obtuse to rounded, apiculate, veins inconspicuous. Stipules in form of stipular spines, spines short, 1-5 mm long, greyish-brown to black, sharp, persistent, from low conical truncate, distant, spirally arranged tubercles, 2-5 mm in height and 2-3 cm apart. Cyathia in subterminal axillary cymes on short, rigid forked peduncle, ca. 3 mm long. Cyathia mostly in groups of three: the central one subsessile, usually male, the lateral ones with 6-7 mm long peduncle, with both male and female flowers. Cyathia flattened-globose, 2.5-4 mm x 4-6 mm; involucre campanulate, marginal lobes 5, rounded; glands 5, oblong, 1-3 mm broad, thick and entire. Male Flowers: Many. Stamen 1; filament ca. 0.5 mm long, whitish; anther +/- globose, bithecous, orange-red, dehiscence transverse. Bracts linear. Female Flowers: Solitary, rarely developed, mostly included; pedicel small, slightly exserted, ca. 1 mm long; ovary globose, ca. 1mm x 1mm, glabrous; styles 3, 2-2.5 mm long, connate in lower half, bifid; stigma small, capitate.

Capsule 3- locular, 3-lobed, smooth, 10-12 mm in diameter. (Capsules not observed)

Flowering and Fruiting: February to April
Common Names: Indian Spurge Tree, Hedge Euphorbia, Five-tubercled Spurge, Oleander- leafed Spurge, Holy Milk Hedge, Milk Bush, Milk Spurge; Snuhi, Sehund, Vaad Thor (Hindi)