The genusEuphorbiais huge and has a bewildering regalia of forms , including yearly and perennial , behemoth , and tiny 1 . Because of their build , members of one unique and engrossing grouping are know as Medusoid Euphorbias .
Medusoid Euphorbias are easily identified . Like Medusa in Hellenic mythology , they have a fundamental head sprouting numerous snake - like arms ( branches ) . The arms may be stubby , widely space or retentive , snake - like , and tight spaced . The central thicken stem is equivalent to a caudex for all Medusoid Euphorbias . It is the central storage region and can act as a reservoir for nutrient and moisture during accent . Many Medusoid Euphorbias shed their arms during extended drought , regrowing unexampled ones when the rains return .
Medusoid Euphorbias come from a wide range of habitats , with Cape Province inSouth Africabeing Medusoid Euphorbias central , but all go through extended periods of low wet . Cultivation for many is relatively sluttish , as long as attention is give to not water during quiescency periods . There are generally two period of quiescency : a long one during the tardy drop and winter and a shorter one during the flower of the summer heat . The arriver of the summer one is harder to predict , and over - watering in later summertime can lead in theme rot .
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It is closely impossible to find seeds for most of the Medusoid Euphorbias . In general , the seeds are short - lived . vegetive propagation is soft . Most Medusoid Euphorbias can be pass around from sleeve cuttings , although an extended period will be required before the plant is deserving showing .
Euphorbia aridaoccurs in the Northern Cape and Free State and is rare . It work a relatively tall caudex up to 1 foot ( 30 cm ) , covered with scant , relatively slight arms .
Euphorbia head - medusaeis a classic species from Cape Province . Its caudex can be up to 8 in ( 20 cm ) in diam , and its branches are long and snaky . It is the most snake - like of all the mintage .
Euphorbia crassipesis a pretty minuscule species native to the Karoo Region of South Africa . It has thick but short coat of arms and a caudex up to 6 inches ( 15 cm ) in diameter .
Euphorbia deceptais from Cape Province , South Africa . The caudex is up to 4 inch ( 10 cm ) in diameter , and the branches are generally less than an inch ( 2.5 centimetre ) long . In home ground , the branches are deciduous , but they ride out on the plant all year in finish .
Euphorbia esculentais one of the most decorative classic Medusoid Euphorbias with smooth , compact , wan - unripe arch arms . The caudex is usually mostly below terra firma , but most raise it for ornamental reasons in cultivation . It is native to Cape Province .
Euphorbia flanaganiiis one of the most common and easily grow Medusoid Euphorbias . The central caudex is generally 2 or 3 inches ( 5 or 7.5 atomic number 96 ) across . It grow quickly , offsets pronto , and can rapidly fill a large trough .
Euphorbia fortuitacomes from Cape Province . It has a tuberous principal ancestor that merges into the main caudex and stiff cylindric branch , usually about 4 inches ( 10 centimeter ) long , but now and then one will be twice as retentive .
Euphorbia fuscawill grow petty head rapidly . These can be remove to start out raw plants .
Euphorbia gamkensisis very rare and only occurs between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo . It has a large , more or less cylindric underground caudex up to 2.4 column inch ( 6 curium ) in diam .
Euphorbia gorgonisis another species from Cape Province . The caudex is mostly ulterior . It has short tuberculate branches that wrench reddened in acute twinkle .
Euphorbia inermislooks likeEuphorbia esculenta , with numerous thick , closely spaced arms . The caudex is up to 20 inches ( 50 cm ) in diameter , with rafts of short arms move up from the sides .
Euphorbia inermisvar.huttonae , formerly known asEuphorbia huttoniae , is a local or morphologic form ofEuphorbia inermis , take issue only by bloom fictional character .
Euphorbia procumbens , also known asEuphorbia pugniformis , is a dwarf spineless Medusoid Euphorbia that , in its normal phase , has 2 to 3 row of lateral shoots around the deepened tip of a swollen succulent base . It is closely relate toEuphorbia gorgonisand can be confused withEuphorbia flanaganii , but it is small .
True Medusoid Euphorbias all have a central prow in addition to their roots . Examples of Medusoid - likeEuphorbias that do not have true stock staunch areEuphorbia knuthii , Euphorbia micrantha , Euphorbia hamata , Euphorbia squarrosas , andEuphorbia stellata . Euphorbia cylindrifoliaandEuphorbia decaryiare sometimes included in the Medusoid Euphorbias as they have succulent stanch and long , snakelike weapon . Still , the stems in these two specie are not ordinarily reckon truly caudiciform .
Source : csssn.org
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