Euphorbia burmannii

The grey-green or yellow-green stems of Euphorbia burmannii, the sweet milkbush or in Afrikaans steenbokkos (steenbok food) or steenbokmelkbos (steenbok milkbush), are roughing it here. The plant branches readily from the base and higher up, reaching heights in excess of 2 m. The stems are smooth and hairless.

The small new leaves found at the top on the new stem growth for a short period only have already come and gone for the season. The flowers are also gone. Some dry or drying seed capsules remain on the persistent stalks.

The species distribution is from Namibia, the Northern Cape and the Western Cape from Vanrhynsdorp through the Karoo and the Little Karoo to the Eastern Cape as far as Fort Beaufort. This plant was encountered in the Karoo National Park near Beaufort West late in October, when high temperatures are already common in this area although summer has not yet arrived.

The habitat is sandy flats and slopes in succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo, fynbos and Albany thicket. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century.

Porcupines sometimes seek out these plants for feeding on the rootstocks when they roam the veld at night (Frandsen, 2017; Smith, et al, 2017; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).