Euphorbia lactea Haw.

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Equisetopsida C. Agardh > Malpighiales Juss. ex Bercht. & J. Presl > Euphorbiaceae > Euphorbia > Euphorbia lactea Haw.

Description: Euphorbia lactea, is a deciduous, spiny, usually leafless, cactus-like succulent shrub or small tree. It can grow to a height of 15 feet, but is typically maintained as a 1 to 2 foot houseplant. The plant has spiny stems and mottled branches that are green with white lines. Tiny leaves do appear in summer, but drop quickly leaving the plant leafless. Flowering is rare and the plant does not tolerate frost. Other characteristics include 4-angled stems with paired black stem thorns. If injured, the plant will ooze a toxic, milky latex.

Flowering and Fruiting:

Uses: E. lactea is widely commercialized as an ornamental plant and due to the presence of spines it is also used as a fence/hedge plant. Many cultivars have been developed and are also commercialized in the horticultural trade. Euphorbia sap is used in India and in Africa to treat warts and in China to treat skin diseases. Latex composition in the genus is very diverse, including toxic compounds as well as other interesting and potentially bioactive molecules such as diterpenes and triterpenes. A study evaluating the anti-inflammatory of “tirucallo”, a tetracyclic triterpene isolated from E. lactea latex showed that the topical application of this compound effectively suppressed ear oedema in mice and exerts a topical anti-inflammatory effect in vivo.

Cultivation: Wild/cultivated

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org