Euphorbia caput-medusae L. - A journey from the foggy Cape of Storms to the arid windblasted sands of the Namib Desert (part 1)
In a new, wide ranging, monophyletic classification of the Southern African euphorbias (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia caput-medusae L. has emerged to lie within (Clade A) which comprises Euphorbia subg. Rhizanthium sect. Medusea (Bruyns et al, 2006). For the scientific explanation of these changes the original paper should be consulted. In the above paper the following species were considered synonymous with E. caputmedusae: E. marlothiana N.E.Br., E. muirii N.E.Br., E. tuberculata Jacq., E. tuberculatoides N.E.Br., E. bolusii N.E.Br., E. confluens Nel and E. ramiglans N.E.Br. It is interesting to note that N. E. Brown first described 5 out of the 7 species now considered synonymous. The plants discussed in this account are in order from the northernmost colonies to the furthest southern colonies.
Euphorbia World
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Euphorbia caput_medusae_Part 1.pdf | 1.48 MB |