Euphorbiaceae Week: Identification key for woody species of Euphorbia

Gurcharan Singh

unread,

Mar 11, 2011, 8:14:52 AM3/11/11

to efloraofindia

Based on species already posted and expected one a simple key for woody species of Euphorbia is presented

Perhaps we can expand the key for woody succulent species of Euphorbia as under:

Stems unarmed; without stipular spines

Leaves shorter than 10 cm, uniformally green

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

Leaves longer than 10 cm; uniformally or partly coloured

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...............................................................................................................E. milii

Spines borne on raised shield, usually shorter than 1 cm

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/

Pankaj Kumar

unread,

Mar 11, 2011, 8:40:26 AM3/11/11

to Gurcharan Singh, efloraofindia

Just a small error.

Leaves shorter than 10 cm, uniformally green
Stem and leaves uniformly red, leaves in whorls of three,

petiole almost as long as blade..................E. cotoniifolia
(cotinifolia!).

Here in second step you have said uniformly green.... but then u r saying red.
You may like to correct it.

Pankaj

--
***********************************************
"TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!"

Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae)
Research Associate
Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project
Department of Habitat Ecology
Wildlife Institute of India
Post Box # 18
Dehradun - 248001, India

Gurcharan Singh

unread,

Mar 11, 2011, 9:05:07 AM3/11/11

to Pankaj Kumar, efloraofindia

Pankaj ji

Thanks for pointing this out. I will correct it. As such it also needed some formatting as names are running into second line.

Here it is.

Stems unarmed; without stipular spines

Leaves shorter than 10 cm, all leaves of same colour

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

Leaves longer than 10 cm; lower leaves green, upper partly or uniformally coloured

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.......................................................................E. milii

Spines borne on raised shield, usually shorter than 1 cm

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/

Pankaj Kumar

unread,

Mar 11, 2011, 9:08:47 AM3/11/11

to Gurcharan Singh, efloraofindia

Thanks.
Cotoniifolia is actually cotinifolia.

I am trying to reframe your keys, will send soon. Hopefully you will like it.

There is one more issue here:
smaller leaves (3-8 cm long) and longer spines 0.5-1 cm. this is other
way around I think.

Regards
Pankaj

Gurcharan Singh

unread,

Mar 11, 2011, 9:19:54 AM3/11/11

to Pankaj Kumar, efloraofindia

Thanks for cotonifolia

Leaves and spines are alright. You may check from eFlora of Pakistan where both are described.

--
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/

Reply all

Reply to author

Forward