Euphorbia sekukuniensis flowering strongly

    Euphorbia sekukuniensis flowering strongly
    Author: Ivan Lätti
    Photographer: Philip van Heerden

    The cyathia of Euphorbia sekukuniensis are small and yellow or yellow-green, growing on short stalks at the end of winter and early in spring. Cyathia are clustering densely in horizontal groups of three on this stem-tip. The central, bigger and yellower ones are male pseudoflowers or cyathia producing pollen, the smaller greener ones laterally are bisexual with ovaries and styles as well as stamens.

    The cyathia of both kinds are surrounded by five tiny, fleshy glands. Spines along the continuous horny ridges are brown on the new growth, whitish grey lower down, all with dark tips in this case. The spines grow in divergent, angled pairs on the stem ridges among the cyathia (Frandsen, 2017; Smith, et al, 2017; Coates Palgrave, 2002; iNaturalist).

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