Leafless milkweed
| Leafless milkweed | ||||||||||||
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Leafless milkweed in the Potsdam Botanical Garden . |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Euphorbia aphylla | ||||||||||||
| Brouss. ex Willd. |
The leafless milkweed ( Euphorbia aphylla ) is a species of plant in the genus Wolfsmilch ( Euphorbia ) from the family of the milkweed family (Euphorbiaceae). Its Spanish name is "Tabaiba salvaje" or "Tolda".
The German and botanical names refer to the seemingly missing leaves of the species.
description
The leafless milkweed is a small, densely branched and succulent tree that reaches heights of about 80 cm. The branches arise from a short trunk and branch out into whorls . They are cylindrical with a diameter of about 6 mm, about finger length and tapered at their base. Over time, the trunk and inner branches become thicker, lignified and turn a corky brown color. Because the tiny, scale-like leaves are tight and fall off quickly, the entire plant appears leafless.
The inflorescences appear laterally with a not always developed central cyathium and two to four lateral cyathia. The bracts are as tiny as the leaves. The four or five yellow nectar glands of the cyathia are elliptical and touching. The fruit protrudes from the cyathium on a bent back stalk and, if there are only four nectar glands, lies in the gap created.
When cultivated, the plants bloom almost all year round, but mainly in spring and autumn.
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 20.
Occurrence
Leafless milkweed is an endemic native to the Canary Islands of Tenerife , Gomera and Gran Canaria . It always grows near and sometimes directly on the coast at altitudes between 20 and 200 meters. Since it is constantly exposed to very salty air in these locations, there is a suspicion that the species could be a halophyte . However, further investigations are still pending.
gallery
The tiny leaves are invisible to the naked eye.
Growth habit of an older plant
inflorescence
Cyathium with developing fruit
literature
- PMA Broussonet, ex CL Willdenow: Enum. Pl. Hoard. Reg. Berol. 1: 501, 1809
- CS Walker, M. Thorburn: The Euphorbias of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. The Euphorbia Journal, Vol. 4: 46-47, 1987
- P. Lawant, R. Suntjens: Euphorbias of La Gomera, Canary Islands. The Euphorbia Journal, Vol. 10: 36-37, 1996
- B. Mies, MS Jiminez & D. Morales: Ecophysiology and distribution of the endemic leafless spurge Euphorbia aphylla and the introduced Euphorbia tirucalli (Euphorbiaceae, Euphorbia Sect. Tirucalli) in the Canary Islands. Plant Systematics and Evolution 202: 27-36, 1996
Individual evidence
- ↑ Euphorbia aphylla at Tropicos.org. In: IPCN Chromosome Reports . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
