List of Euphorbiaceae of South Africa

Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants (anthophytes) in the order Malpighiales. In common English, they are sometimes called euphorbias,[1] which is also the name of a genus in the family. Most spurges are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti because of convergent evolution.[2]

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened.[3] Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.[4]

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).[5]

47 genera are represented in the literature.[5] Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Acalypha edit

Genus Acalypha:[5]

Adenocline edit

Genus Adenocline:[5]

Alchornea edit

Genus Alchornea:[5]

Aleurites edit

Genus Aleurites:[5]

  • Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd. not indigenous, naturalised
    • Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd. var. moluccana, not indigenous, naturalised

Anisophyllum edit

Genus Anisophyllum:[5]

Anthacantha edit

Genus Anthacantha:[5]

Arthrothamnus edit

Genus Arthrothamnus:[5]

Breynia edit

Genus Breynia:[5]

  • Breynia disticha J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive

Caperonia edit

Genus Caperonia:[5]

Cavacoa edit

Genus Cavacoa

Cephalocroton edit

Genus Cephalocroton:[5]

Chamaesyce edit

Genus Chamaesyce:[5]

Chrozophora edit

Genus Chrozophora:[5]

Clutia edit

Genus Clutia:[5]

Croton edit

Genus Croton:[5]

Ctenomeria edit

Genus Ctenomeria:[5]

Dactylanthes edit

Genus Dactylanthes:[5]

Dalechampia edit

Genus Dalechampia:[5]

Erythrococca edit

Genus Erythrococca:[5]

Euphorbia edit

Genus Euphorbia:[5]

Excoecaria edit

Genus Excoecaria:[5]

Galarhoeus edit

Genus Galarhoeus:[5]

Homalanthus edit

Genus Homalanthus:[5]

Jatropha edit

Genus Jatropha:[5]

Leidesia edit

Genus Leidesia:[5]

Macaranga edit

Genus Macaranga:[5]

  • Macaranga capensis (Baill.) Benth. ex Sim, indigenous
    • Macaranga capensis (Baill.) Benth. ex Sim var. capensis, indigenous

Manihot edit

Genus Manihot:[5]

Medusea edit

Genus Medusea:[5]

Mercurialis edit

Genus Mercurialis:[5]

Micrococca edit

Genus Micrococca:[5]

Monadenium edit

Genus Monadenium:[5]

Pedilanthus edit

Genus Pedilanthus:[5]

Pterococcus edit

Genus Pterococcus:[5]

Ricinus edit

Genus Ricinus:[5]

  • Ricinus communis L. accepted as Ricinus communis L. var. communis, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
    • Ricinus communis L. var. communis, not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive

Sapium edit

Genus Sapium:[5]

Schinziophyton edit

Genus Schinziophyton:[5]

Sclerocroton edit

Genus Sclerocroton:[5]

Seidelia edit

Genus Seidelia:[5]

Shirakiopsis edit

Genus Shirakiopsis:[5]

Spirostachys edit

Genus Spirostachys:[5]

Suregada edit

Genus Suregada:[5]

Synadenium edit

Genus Synadenium:[5]

Tithymalus edit

Genus Tithymalus:[5]

Tragia edit

Genus Tragia:[5]

Tragiella edit

Genus Tragiella:[5]

Treisia edit

Genus Treisia:[5]

Vernicia edit

Genus Vernicia:[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Definition of Euphorbia". Merriam Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  2. ^ Natasha Nguyen (2014). "Convergent evolution of cacti and euphorbias". Retrieved 31 March 2007.
  3. ^ Butler, Rhett A. (1 July 2019). "Total number of plant species by country". Mongabay. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Vegetation of South Africa". PlantZAfrica.com. SA National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av "species_checklist_20180710.csv". South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 27 September 2020.