Euphorbia bussei

Appearance

Tree to 10(–15) m. high, with a trunk to ± 30 cm. thick and grey fissured bark marked with usually 6 vertical rows of persistent spines and pit-scars resulting from fallen branches; seedlings 3–4-angled; branches spreading to 3(–5) m., rebranching several times to form a rounded crown; terminal branchlets fleshy, 3–4-angled, to 15 cm. wide, deeply winged and deeply constricted into ovate to subcircular segments to 15 cm. long or more, elongated with undulate margins on young plants; angles sinuately toothed with teeth 1–3 cm. apart.

Naming

Accepted in 2000 in the World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1-1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Named 'bussei' in honour of Walter Carl Otto Busse, 20th century German botanist

Euphorbia mbaluensis (Synonym)

Distribution

Kenya and Tanzania

Status

Near Threatened, Cites Appendix ii

Defense

All members of the genus Euphorbia produce a milky sap called latex that is toxic and can range from a mild irritant to very poisonous.