Euphorbia enormis

Euphorbia enormis, commonly known as the Sekhukhune dwarf spurge, is a spiny stem succulent with thick, underground stem or pseudo-caudex of up to 10 cm in diameter. The stem continues down into a fleshy taproot.

Sometimes below-ground branching allows for multiple above-ground stems; a compact, heavy-bodied plant of mostly erect stem-tips. The specific name, enormis, is a Latin word meaning irregular or immense, probably referring here to the contorted shape rather than to size.

The geographical distribution of this South African endemic is in the northeast of the country, in Mpumalanga and Limpopo around Burgersfort to Lydenburg and near Polokwane. The photo was taken near Steelpoort.

The habitat is stony bushveld. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century (Frandsen, 2017; iNaturalist; http://www.llifle.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).