Euphorbia stellispina

Euphorbia stellispina, the star euphorbia and sterretjienoors (little star spurge) or skaapnoors (sheep spurge) in Afrikaans, is a robust, low-growing stem succulent that forms clumps of spiny stems that reach heights from 50 cm to 70 cm. The star in the name comes from the star-shaped branching of the spines in their upper parts, discernible in the photo.

The spines at the top of the stem start off as the peduncles of the cyathia. These yellow false flowers are unisexual, male and female ones occurring on separate plants. The spines grow on the vertical stem ridges, the areas between the ridges smooth. There are up to 16 ridges on a stem. The female flowers develop into trilocular seed capsules, consisting of three compartments, each holding one seed.

This South African endemic grows in the Northern Cape from Namaqualand near Springbok and Bushmanland across parts of the Great Karoo to Laingsburg and Beaufort West in the Western Cape, and Willowmore in the Eastern Cape.

The habitat is Nama Karoo, succulent Karoo, stony shrubland slopes of dolerite and renosterveld. Whatever lives here in nature copes with a temperature range of -5˚  C to 45˚ C and low water requirements. The resilient species is not considered threatened in its challenging habitat early in the twenty first century (Frandsen, 2017; Smith, et al, 2017; Van Jaarsveld, et al, 2006; iNaturalist; www.plantzafrica.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).