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<big>''[[Elaeophorbia grandifolia]]'' (Haw.) Croizat</big>

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Elaeophorbia grandifolia'' (PROTA)}}

:Protologue: Bull. Jard. Bot. Etat 15: 109 (1938).

:Family: Euphorbiaceae

== Origin and geographic distribution ==

The latex contains 0.3–0.5% of the diterpene alcohol ingenol and several ingenol diterpene esters. Ingenol is also present in ''Euphorbia'' spp. The esters are toxic and co-carcinogens. The triterpenes euphol, tirucallol and euphorbol have also been isolated. The latex also contains the lectins euphorbain d₁ and euphorbain d₂, which agglutinate erythrocytes in vitro. The latex was found to be highly irritant in mouse ear tests.

Monoecious, glabrous small tree up to 15(–25) m tall, with copious white latex; bole stout, up to 80 cm in diameter, often low-branching; bark grey, rough; branches spreading, forming a large rounded crown, branchlets obtusely 5-angled, becoming cylindrical, with conspicuous leaf scars. Leaves arranged spirally, crowded at branch apex, simple and entire; stipules soon falling; petiole up to 3 cm long, subtended by a pair of prickles up to 3 mm long; blade ovate to oblanceolate, 8–30(–40) cm × 4–12 cm, base cuneate, apex rounded to emarginate, fleshy, pinnately veined. Inflorescence an axillary cyme, usually 3 together, consisting of cyathia; peduncle up to 4.5 cm long and branches up to 2.5 cm long; bracts broadly deltoid, c. 7 mm long, paired, persistent; cyathia sessile, c. 15 mm in diameter, involucre widely funnel-shaped, 5-lobed, with large glands c. 2.5 mm × 6 mm, brownish yellow, each cyathium containing 1 female flower surrounded by many male flowers. Flowers unisexual, perianth absent; male flowers with fan-shaped bracteoles, consisting of a single stamen c. 4 mm long; female flowers consisting of a superior, 3-celled, smooth ovary merging into the pedicel, styles 3, c. 1.5 mm long, fused, stigmas flattened, reflexed. Fruit an almost sessile, obovoid, slightly 3-lobed, fleshy drupe up to 3.5 cm × 2.5 cm, green becoming yellow; stone grooved, 1–3-seeded. Seeds ovoid, c. 8 mm × 4.5–5 mm, with 2 ridges, smooth, greyish brown.

''Elaeophorbia'' comprises 3–5 species in tropical Africa. It is sometimes included in ''Euphorbia'', from which it differs in lacking a perianth in the female flowers, in the ovary merging into the pedicel, and in its large indehiscent drupe-like fruits in contrast to the dry dehiscent fruits of ''Euphorbia''. ''Elaeophorbia grandifolia'' and ''Elaeophorbia drupifera'' (Thonn.) Stapf are closely related and the common occurrence of intermediate specimens, e.g. in Ghana, indicates that they could represent a single variable species.

== Ecology ==

* Mshana, N.R., Abbiw, D.K., Addore-Mensah, I., Ekpere, J.A., Enow-Orock, E.G., Gbile, Z.O., Noamessi, G.K., Odei, M.A., Odunlami, H., Oteng-Yeboah, A.A., Sarpong, K., Sofowora, A. & Tackie, A.N., 2000. Traditional medicine and pharmacopoeia. Contribution to the revision of ethnobotanical and floristic studies in Ghana. Organisation of African Unity / Scientific, Technical and Research Commission. 920 pp.

== Author(s) ==

== Correct citation of this article ==

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