Euphorbia curvirama

Euphorbia curvirama, commonly known as the Kei candelabra tree or in Afrikaans Kei-naboom, is usually single-stemmed but sometimes with a few trunk-like branches, reaching small tree proportions, occasionally exceeding 5 m in height (SA Tree List No. 347). The rounded crown of about 2 m to 3 m in diameter consists of erect stem-tips. The lower trunk or few thick stems become bare low down. 

The spiny, succulent, dark green stems at the lowest levels above the bare trunk spread almost at right angles before curving up sharply in a graceful symmetry. They are mostly four-angled, sometimes with one wing more or less. There are frequent stem constrictions interrupting the protruding wings. The soon grey, stout spines of 1,5 cm long are positioned on continuous spiny shields upon the stem ridges. 

The greenish yellow false flowers are produced on new stem-tip growth above the spines. The fruit is a 3-lobed capsule about 7 mm in diameter.

The species distribution is small, only in the coastal and central part of the Eastern Cape from around George to Gqeberha eastwards and northwards. The photo was taken in the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden.

The habitat is thorny scrub on rocky slopes and valleys. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century.

E. curvirama is botanically closely related to several species of the genus, including E. triangularis, E. tetragona and others in the slow differentiation of evolution over many generations. Their common ancestor is closer in time than earlier ancestral species of the large and old Euphorbia family, several of which probably no longer existing.

As long as any species on earth lives, it evolves via the selective transfer of genetic characteristics in the subgroup of the species that procreates. As long as species evolve, new knowledge about them has to be collected if their scientific picture is to be complete. Complete is here an about unreachable goal. Further research is required, is a common but warranted cliché at the end of many research reports.

A living system is not fully known in its historical context until after its time when all specimens are dead, and not even then, due to untold missing information from its past. Let alone the future during which unknown challenges may be met by all that lives, the species responding in unique and unforeseen ways through selectivity in premature deaths (Coates Palgrave, 2002; iNaturalist; https://www.plantbook.co.za; http://redlist.sanbi.org).