Description
Euphorbia ledienii comes from the Port Elizabeth area of the Eastern Cape. There are paler and darker forms of the plant. This one has more ribs or ridges on the stems than some others, as shown in published photos. The ridges may be as few as four, rarely three. The cyathia are small and greenish yellow, appearing in winter and spring. The fruits are lobed. The plant branches freely from the base and may grow to a 2 m tall shrub. The sturdy pairs of spines have distinctive angled positioning, pointing downwards, although they are not as conspicuous on all specimens. Their colouring starts off greenish on the stem top, turning dark red as they mature, but grey when they dry out on the lower stem parts; old and removed from the new action at the top. Euphorbia ledienii var ledienii and E. ledienii var. dregei are the two variations of this plant on record (www.cactus-art.biz; Smith, et al, 1997).
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