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Origin and Habitat: Republic of South Africa (Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Western Cape) and Lesotho.
Altitude range: Between 1,500 and 1,800 metres above sea level.
Habitat and ecology: Nama Karoo, Savanna, Succulent Karoo. Euphorbia clavarioides is a spineless dwarf succulent which consists of a convex cushion-like mound which is build up little by little through the multiplication of its branching system. It grows on stony shale flats and on exposed rocky slopes together with Delosperma obtusum and can survive the frequent rapid drying out of its habitat. Only during the growing season is it possible to determine the crown of the plant.
- Euphorbia clavarioides Boiss.
Euphorbia clavarioides Boiss.
Cent. Euphorb. 25 1860.
- Euphorbia clavarioides Boiss.
- Euphorbia basutica Marloth
- Euphorbia clavarioides f. cristata hort.
- Euphorbia clavarioides var. truncata (N.E.Br.) A.C.White, R.A.Dyer & B.Sloane
ENGLISH: Lion's Spoor
SOTHO (SOUTHERN) (seSotho): Sehlehle, Sehloko, Thethebale
ZULU (isiZulu): Isihlekehleke, Isantilele
Description: Euphorbia clavarioides is a low-growing succulent plant forming small cushion-shaped masses at ground level 5-7.5 cm high and 10-30 cm in diameter composed of the tips of unarmed, succulent, branches. The main stem is a continuation of the root and is completely buried in the ground. The many branches which are cylindric or clavate are covered with tubercles. It has an inflorescence in the form of cyathium (apparently a single flower, actually several).The cyathia are produced at the tips of the branches.
Derivation of specific name: The species name "clavarioides" alludes to the individual stems being Clavaria-like and superficially resembling the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete fungus genus Clavaria.
Rootstock: Root thick and fleshy, merging into a short, obconic, underground stem, buried in the ground and covered to the centre of its flattened top with crowded branches.
Branches: Partly or wholly buried in the ground, as with age (after attaining a length of 2-5 cm) they branch at the tips and the branchlets densely rebranching to form a very compact rounded cushion. younger branchlets 8-16 mm thick, at first subglobose, becoming cylindric or clavate and finally greatly thickened, very obtusely rounded at the apex, tessellately tuberculate, dull green or purplish-tinted. Tubercles 3-4 mm in diameter, about 1 mm prominent, rhomboid or hexagonal, very obtusely and broadly rounded-conical, with a whitish and not at all impressed leaf-scar at their apex. Occasionally separate heads are formed on a plant and these arrange their branches in a plane at a different angle to the others.
Leaves: Rudimentary, soon deciduous, fleshy, 1-2 mm long, 0.5-1 mm broad, sessile, ovate or lanceolate, subacute, channelled down the face, glabrous.
Cyathia: Solitary, sessile at the tips of the branches, surrounded by 3–5 suborbicular or broadly obovate ciliate thin scale-like bracts, male and bisexual occurring on the same plant, cup-shaped, 3-4 in diameter and about 2 mm deep, glabrous, with 5 nectar-glands and 5 subquadrate or transversely rectangular ciliate lobes. Glands distant, greenish-yellow, 1-2 mm in their greater diameter, transversely oblong, margin subentire or minutely toothed or with about 6 subulate processes up to 0.5 mm long, on their outer margin. Styles free nearly to the base, radiating, 1 mm long, very stout, broadly wedge-shaped or with suborbicular stigmas, channelled down the face;
Fruits (capsules): Sessile, about 8 mm in diameter, slightly and very obtusely 3-lobed or trigonous, glabrous seeds 3,5 mm in diame, globose-ovoid, abruptly acute, truncate at the base, minutely tuberculate on the dorsal side and with a broad smooth stripe on the ventral side, glabrous, dark-brown.
Seeds: Subglobose, 3.5 mm 0, minutely tuberculate.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Euphorbia clavarioides group
- Euphorbia clavarioides Boiss.: Distribution: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Western Cape and Lesotho.
- Euphorbia clavarioides f. cristata hort.: crested form.
- Euphorbia clavarioides var. truncata (N.E.Br.) A.C.White, R.A.Dyer & B.Sloane: Branches rarely re-branching, forming a flattened or convex cushion, inner bramches 8 mm, outer branches to 7 cm. Distribution: North-West Provinces to KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Urs Eggli “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Dicotyledons” Springer Science & Business Media, 2002
2) N. E. Brown, J. Hutchinson and D. Prain “Flora Capensis”, Vol 5, Part 2, page 216, 1925
3) John Manning, Colin Paterson-Jones “Southern African Wild Flowers: Jewels of the Veld” Struik, 2004
4) Peter Clough, Philip D. A. McMillan Browse “Gardening on the Edge: Drawing on the Cornwall Experience” Alison Hodge Publishers, 2004
5) Pooley, E.“Mountain flowers: a field guide to the flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho.” Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban. 2003.
6) Archer, R.H., Victor, J.E. & von Staden, L. 2014. Euphorbia clavarioides Boiss. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2015.1. Accessed on 2016/05/08
7) Ione Rudner “Khoisan Pigments and Paints and Their Relationship to Rock Paintings” South African Museum, 1982
8) Inez C. Verdoorn, L. E. W. Codd “Wild Flowers of the Transvaal” Trustees, Wild Flowers of The Transvaal Book Fund, 1962
Cultivation and Propagation: Euphorbia clavarioides forms a multi-headed, hardy cushion, and looks well between stones in a well-drained situation. It likes a sunny position. It does best in a mineral soil, good drainage is essential. Water sparingly during the summer months and keep dry in winter. It is a slow growing long lived plant and once established, it will be content in its position and with its soil for years. It can tolerate moderate shade, and a plant that has been growing in shade should be slowly hardened off before placing it in full sun as the plant will be severely scorched if moved too suddenly from shade into sun. Euphorbia clavarioides has a large tap root and requires a relatively deep pot.
Propagation: Seed, cuttings (separate heads). If you remove an offset, remember to let it dry for a week or so, letting the wound heal (cuttings planted too soon easily rot before they can grow roots). It is better to wash the cut to remove the latex.
Traditional uses: Euphorbia clavarioides is a cushion type of Euphorbia which is regularly scarified by Basotho herdboys and the dried latex later collected for use as chewing-gum.
Warning: As with all other Euphorbias, when a plant gets damaged it exudes a thick white milky sap known as latex. This latex is poisonous and may irritate skin, so pay extreme attention not to get any in your eyes or mouth.
Cultivated plants must be handled carefully.
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