Nomenclature

Species name:

Euphorbia dendroides   L.

Author(s):

Carl von Linné
   Sweden, 1707-1778

General names:

Tree Spurge
Woody Spurge

Maltese name:

Tenghud tas-Sigra

Plant Family:

Euphorbiaceae   (Spurge Family)

Name Derivation:

Euphorbia = Named for Euphorbus, a Greek physician to Juba II, King of Mauretania. Euphorbus derives from eu, "good," and phorbe, "pasture or fodder," thus giving euphorbos the meaning "well fed." (Greek);

dendroides = Tree-like, referring to the general shape of the plant which resembles a small tree (Latin).

Synonyms:

Euphorbia arborea, Esula dendroides, Tithymalus arboreus

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

On the slopes of valleys and cliffs

Sources in Malta:

Frequent in many valleys such as at Wied il-Ghasel, Wied Anglu, Wied hanzira (Gozo) and several cliffs such as Dingli, Fawwara, Mellieha, Qrendi, Lapsi, etc.

Plant Height:

Up to 2m in height

Flowering Time:

Dec - May

As its name implies this is a large shrub reaching the proportions of a small tree up to 2m in height, but usually grows to much less. It has a thick trunk dividing usually in pairs (dichotmous branching). The branches have a greyish colour and have several fissures at regular intervals and are usually glabrous (hairless). It forms large shrubs in several areas of Maltese garigues and in such areas is usually a dominant component.

The leaves reach up to 7cm by 1cm in size and are usually oblong to spear-shaped. They have usually a blunt and rarely end up with a tiny bristle (mucronulate). They lie alternately on the branches. The leaves and stems like all other species of the Euphorbia genus release a white, milky, irritating liquid when cut. The leaves lying under the inflorescence are different from those lying on the stem and branches and are called Ray Leaves. These leaves are much more shorter and narrower in shape and lie in clusters of up to 8 just underneath the flower, and are more yellow in colour than the stem leaves. The leaves usually fall off in late spring and during the summer the plant consists of just bare branches.

Euphorbia dendroides is a monoecious plant (both male and female flowers are on the same plant). The flowers lack petals and are borne in umbel clusters (inflorescence of several flowers on pedicels that originate from the same point). These umbel clusters are called Rays. Below these rays lie the Ray leaves and these rays end up forming the Cyathium. The Cyathium consists of 2 bracts that are yellowish in colour and are lobed and on which lies the flower. The Flower lacks petals and consists of a cup-shaped involucre with many male and one female flower. Male flowers consist of a single stamen and filament and the female flower consisting of a round gland with 3 styles and lying on a short stalk.

The capsule is up to 6mm long and is usually smooth in touch. Seeds are 3mm in diameter and are grey in colour.

This species is quite easy to identify due to its large size and typical Euphorbial flowers. It might be confused with the much rarer Euphorbia characias/melapetala which however is smaller and has much more dense rays of up to 20. Besides glands have a characteristic dark reddish-brown colour which are notched or with a pair of short horns.

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