Euphorbia filiflora stem tubercles

Stem surfaces of Euphorbia filiflora are covered in spirally arranged tubercles. The variously shaped tubercles have about four or five marginal facets meeting adjacent tubercles fairly neatly in narrow, sunken seams. Only few leaves at the stem-tips still top their tubercles.

When the youngest tubercles emerge at stem-tips in winter, the plant's growing season, their thin leaves grow long. Slightly pointed in its centre, each fleshy tubercle is scarred where its leaf had dropped off.

As the short-lived leaves depart, new leafy tubercles grow from the stem-tip if the plant is up to it. The old tubercles retain their leaf scar badges upon relegation to positions increasingly further from the tip of the lengthening stem. A bit like war medals for old soldiers, the badges convey recognition and respect (Frandsen, 2017; Smith, et al, 2017; Williamson, 2010; iNaturalist).