Euphorbiaceae Week: Euphorbia pseudograntii from Delhi

Gurcharan Singh

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Mar 11, 2011, 10:42:44 PM3/11/11

to efloraofindia

Euphorbia pseudograntii Bruyns, Taxon 55:414. 2006

syn: Synadenium grantii Hook. f.

A glabrous shrub cultivated in pots or beds in Delhi, evidently growing several feet tall along roadsides in South India.

Common Name: African milk bush

With the addition of this species the key to woody species would be revised as

Stems unarmed; without stipular spines

All leaves of same colour

Leaves longer than 8 cm, green.............................................................................................E. pseudograntii

Leaves up to 8 cm long

Stem and leaves uniformly red, leaves in whorls of three, petiole almost as long as blade.......E. cotoniifolia

Stem and leaves green, leaves alternate, petiole much shorter than blade

Leaves shorter than 2 cm, less than 2 mm broad, branches straight, mostly leafless

(leaves early deciduous)......................................................................E. tirucalli

Leaves longer than 3 cm, more than 2 cm broad, branches zigzag, mostly with leaves.......E. tithymaloides

All leaves not of same colour; lower leaves green, upper partly or uniformally coloured; leaves longer than 8 cm

Leaves below the inflorescence uniformally coloured (red, white or yellow); leaves not lobed...E. pulcherrima

Leaves below the inflorescence coloured only at base; leaves lobed or not

Base of upper leaves pale green or pale white; leaves lobed or not...............................E. heterophylla

Base of upper leaves red; leaves lobed......................................................................E. cyathophora

Stems armed with spines

Spines borne on stem, usually longer than 1 cm; two showy bracts around cyathium...................E. milii

Spines borne on raised shield, usually shorter than 1 cm, two showy bracts lacking

Stem rounded, not angled or winged

Shrub wiithout trunk with branches arising from base, smaller leaves (3-8 cm long)

and longer spines 0.5-1 cm.............E caducifolia

Tree with distinct trunk, leaves 10-25 cm long, spines shorter than 0.5 cm........................E. nivulia).

Stem angled or winged

Angles not produced into wing, spirally arranged:....................................................... E. neriifolia

Angles produced into wings

Wings 3-4

The wings running straight, sinuate, regularly dentate

Stems green without white bands....................................................E. antiquorum

Stems white wholly or partially

The stems with white bands on faces

Apex of stem not cristate (without crowns at tips)...........E. lactea

Apex of stem cristate (with crowns at tips)......................E lactea cv. Cristata

The stems uniformly greyish white...................................... ...E. lactea cv. White Ghost

The wings running spirally, ...................................................................................E. tortilis

Wings 5-6, undulate.....................................................................................................E. royleana

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

Synadenium grantii Khalsa-Delhi-2.jpg

Synadenium grantii -Khalsa-Delhi-3.jpg

Synadenium grantii-Khalsa-Delhi-1.jpg

Rashida Atthar

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Mar 12, 2011, 12:42:58 AM3/12/11

to Gurcharan Singh, efloraofindia

Thankyou for posting one more Euphrorbia Sir. There is a minor variation in the nomenclature as compared to Kew Plant List: Euphorbia pseudograntii Pax is mentioned as the accepted name. Request your observations about the same. The type specimen does seem to match your plant.

regards,

Rashida.

On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 9:12 AM, Gurcharan Singh <sing...@gmail.com> wrote:

Euphorbia pseudograntiitin Bruyns, Taxon 55:414. 2006

Gurcharan Singh

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Mar 12, 2011, 1:37:24 AM3/12/11

to Rashida Atthar, efloraofindia

Rashida ji

Thanks for pointing out. I should have checked it earlier. Now according to my analysis the Correct name should be Euphorbia umbellata (Pax) Bruyns, because the author himself had made this correction in 2007, the name Euphorbia pseudograntii being already occupied by a totally different species E. pseudograntii Pax.

The Name for our plant should accordingly be:

Euphorbia umbellata (Pax) Bruyns, Euphorbia World 3: 5 2007.

syn: Euphorbia pseudograntii Bruyns (non Pax) [Illegitimate]

Synadenium grantii Hook.f.

Synadenium umbellatum Pax

Accordingly in the key the name Euphorbia pseudograntii will be replaced by Euphorbia umbellata

Stems unarmed; without stipular spines

All leaves of same colour

Leaves longer than 8 cm, green.............................................................................................E. umbellata

Rashida Atthar

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Mar 12, 2011, 2:05:33 AM3/12/11

to Gurcharan Singh, efloraofindia

Yes Sir, thankyou, this seem logical and correct.

regards,

Rashida.

Gurcharan Singh

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Jan 26, 2023, 6:04:38 PM1/26/23

to eFloraofIndia

Now correctly known as

Euphorbia umbellata (Pax) Bruyns

Syn: Euphorbia pseudograntii Bruyns in Taxon 55: 414 (2006), nom. illeg.

Synadenium grantii Hook.f. in Bot. Mag. 83: t. 5633 (1867)

J.M. Garg

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Jan 27, 2023, 6:54:03 AM1/27/23

to efloraofindia, GurcharanSingh

Thanks, Singh ji

--
With regards,
J. M. Garg

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