Euphorbia restricta spiny stems

The light green to yellow green branches of Euphorbia restricta are four- to six-angled with vertical rows of paired, forking spines along the ridges. The branches become about 20 cm long. The shields at the spine bases are pale grey and close to forming continuous ridges on the stem surfaces. Some twisting of stems as well as unevenly spaced constrictions is in evidence.

The plant grows yellow cyathia in groups of three on or near stem tips. Blooming occurs in midwinter. The plant in picture was photographed in the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in September, well past the stated flowering season, but with some cyathia still at varying stages of development (Smith, et al, 2017; Germishuizen and Fabian, 1982).