Biology:Euphorbia grandicornis
| Euphorbia grandicornis | |
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| Euphorbia grandicornis in the Jardín de Cactus in Guatiza on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Euphorbia |
| Species: | E. grandicornis
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| Binomial name | |
| Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc (1888)
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| Subspecies[2] | |
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| Synonyms[3] | |
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synonyms of E. grandicornis subsp. grandicornis:
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Euphorbia grandicornis, the cow's horn plant, is a succulent plant of the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family. It is native to the KwaZulu-Natal province and the Northern Provinces of South Africa and to Mozambique and Eswatini.[2][4]
The specific epithet "grandicornis" means "with large horns," and refers to the pairs of spines, which look like the horns of a bull.[5]
Description
Euphorbia grandicornis is a shrub with succulent, spiny stems that reaches a size of 0.5–2 m in height. Small leaves are formed between the spines but later drop off; the stems do the bulk of the photosynthesis. It is much branched from the base, with thorns, the branches 3-angled, erect or ascending, very deeply constricted in segments, subsagittate-ovate or reniform-sagittate, 5–13 cm long and 5 – 15 cm in diameter.[5][6][7]
The fruit is showy and pops open when ripe.[6]
It is found in dense dry mixed forest, on granite slopes, and on rocks, at elevations of 40 to 700 meters.[8]
Subspecies
Two subspecies are accepted:[2]
- Euphorbia grandicornis subsp. grandicornis – Mozambique, Eswatini, Northern Provinces, and KwaZulu-Natal
- Euphorbia grandicornis subsp. sejuncta L.C.Leach – north-central Mozambique
Uses
It is grown as a houseplant in temperate regions.[9]
Chemical constituents of E. grandicornis have been studied for their use in cancer treatment.[10]
References
- ↑ Osborne, J. (2019). "Euphorbia grandicornis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) 2019: e.T120955787A120980233. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T120955787A120980233.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/120955787/120980233.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ↑ Euphorbia grandicornis subsp. grandicornis. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ↑ Roskov Y.; Kunze T.; Orrell T. et al., eds (2019). "Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist." (ZIP). http://www.catalogueoflife.org/DCA_Export/zip-fixed/2019-annual.zip.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "NParks | Euphorbia grandicornis". https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/3/6332.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Plant database entry for Cow's Horn (Euphorbia grandicornis) with 19 images, one comment, and 25 data details." (in en). https://garden.org/plants/view/114484/Cows-Horn-Euphorbia-grandicornis/.
- ↑ "Euphorbia grandicornis". http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUCCULENTS/Family/Euphorbiaceae/18789/Euphorbia_grandicornis.
- ↑ Blanc (1888), In: Hints Cacti, ed. 2: 68
- ↑ "Эуфорбия (молочай) - Все о комнатных растениях на flowersweb.info". http://www.flowersweb.info/catalog/detail.php?PID=487&GID=0.
- ↑ Kemboi, Douglas; Langat, Moses K.; Siwe-Noundou, Xavier; Krause, Rui W. M.; Isaacs, Michelle Louise; Tembu, Vuyelwa Jacqueline (25 Mar 2022). "In vitro antibacterial and cytotoxic effects of Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc chemical constituents" (in en). BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 22 (1): 90. doi:10.1186/s12906-022-03571-8. ISSN 2662-7671. PMID 35337309.
Wikidata ☰ Q4300983 entry
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