Euphorbia tirucalli (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Euphorbia tirucalli (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Euphorbia tirucalli Euphorbiaceae Indigenous
Common names
- English: Finger euphorbia
- Amargna: Kinchib
- Borenagna: Anno
- Oromugna: Anno
Ecology
Naturalized throughout tropical Africa and commonly planted both in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia (India and the Far East). Frequently planted in Ethiopia as a fence around livestock kraals in dry areas but also found as a tree. Naturalized or possibly indigenous to some areas of Sidamo and Gamo Gofa. It is common in many areas of Welo, Tigray, Gojam, Shoa and Harerge in Dry and Moist, Kolla, Weyna Dega and Dega agroclimatic zones in Ilubabor, Gamo Gofa, Sidamo and Bale, 1,100–2,500 m.
Uses
Medicine (young branches, boiled roots), fish poison (latex), boundary marker, live fence.
Description
A dense straight‑stemmed tree to 6 m or more, the branchlets smooth green, cylindrical in dense masses.
- BARK: dense, straight-stemmed, the branches smooth, green and cylindrical in dense masses.
- LEAVES: Small, up to 6 mm long, present on young stems, soon dropping.
- FLOWERS: cream or yellow‑green, occur in small and dense terminal clusters.
- FRUIT: 3-part capsules, 6 mm across, hard, purple‑green. Propagation Cuttings strike easily.
Management
Fast growing. Coppicing, trimming, reinforcement planting and top pruning to make a good fence.
Remarks
Medicine from the plant must be used with extreme care due to its high toxicity. The latex is very poisonous and harmful to the eyes. Human milk has been reported as a remedy if one gets latex in the eyes.
