Euphorbia schinzii at Breedts Nek

The branched, four-angled stems of Euphorbia schinzii will grow to 15 cm in favourable conditions. The stems in picture may have to contend with a tougher challenge and thus remain even more dwarf-like than normal, or will increase in size later when the taproot arrives among ampler resources.

There are not continuous vertical ridges along the stems where the spines and cyathia appear, but regularly spaced small, dark, hard patches where the stems grow slight bulges.

The tiny leaves that appear in new growth at stem tips soon drop off (Van Wyk and Malan, 1997).