Description
Euphorbia stellispina, the sterretjienoors in Afrikaans or star euphorbia, forms clumps of spiny stems that my reach 70 cm in height. The spines at the top of the stem produce the cyathia, the yellow, unisexual flowers that occur on separate plants. Spines occur on the up to 16 vertical ridges on the stem. Female flowers develop trilocular seed capsules, consisting of three compartments, each holding one seed.
The plant grows in parts of the Karoo and Namaqualand. It copes with a temperature range of -5˚ to 45˚C and low water requirements. The star in the name comes from the star-shaped branching of the spines that can be observed in the photo (www.plantzafrica.com).
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