Euphorbia Gottlebei

Euphorbia GottlebeiEuphorbia gottlebei grows on steep limestone slopes in subarid deciduous thorny thickets. It is likely to have a very restricted range. Major Threats are habitat degradation, fire, collection for the national and international horticultural trade. The zone is characterized by high temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons, but precipitation is scarce. The plants loose their leaves and flourish during the short dry season (mostly from July to

Euphorbia gottlebei grows on steep limestone slopes in subarid deciduous thorny thickets. It is likely to have a very restricted range. Major Threats are habitat degradation, fire, collection for the national and international horticultural trade. The zone is characterized by high temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons, but precipitation is scarce. The plants loose their leaves and flourish during the short dry season (mostly from July to August). This plant is a very spiny shrubby Euphorbia, but can still reach a 1.5 metres in height.

Origin and Habitat: Southwest of Madagascar. This species is only known from the type locality Fiherenana valley, west of Sakaraha.

Habit: It is a laxly branched shrubs.
Root: It has a long tap root.
Stem: Primary stems to 2 cm thick, densely spiny and branching annually. Thorn up to 1,5 cm long short and stiff with a wide base. The short twigs (Spurs) that also appear among the thorns on the stem leaves are short (up to 3 cm long).
Leaves: Found mainly on new growth, shedding seasonally during the dry season, narrow and slender up to 6 cm long forming a compact canopy.
Inflorescence: The inflorescences, bearing 4 to 16 small carmine flowers, are produced below the branch-tips.
Flowers (cyathia): Small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, usually orange-red, but several colour variants comprising dark-red, yellow, pink, etc. has been develop in cultivation. The female organs (ovaries and stigmas) mature firstly, later replaced by the male stamens with pollen on short anthers.
Fruit: If the flower is pollinated, the stamens dry, and a shine green fruit (a triangular capsule) with three round seeds ripens in the warm days.

Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz