| Euphorbia obesa | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Euphorbia |
| Species: | E. obesa |
| Binomial name | |
| Euphorbia obesa Hook. |
|
Euphorbia obesa is a subtropical succulent species of Euphorbia genus. It comes from South Africa, especially in the Cape Province.
The plant is dioecious which means that a subject has only male or female flowers.
In the wild, it is endangered because over-collection and poaching, because of its slow growth, and the fact that the pod contains only 2 to 3 seeds. However, it is widely cultivated in botanical gardens.
Euphorbia obesa looks like a perfect ball, thornless and extremely decorative. Its diameter is 6 cm for young subjects, but can reach 15 cm for the old ones. Its shape is spherical for young individuals and cylindrical for the old ones. It contains a water reservoir for periods of drought.
It almost always shows 8 ribs adorned with small deep gibbosity regularly planted on the edges. It is green with horizontal lighter or darker stripes. In the wild, and with exposure to direct sunlight, it shows red and purple areas.
The small flowers are insignificant in apex. In fact, like all Euphorbia, flowers are called cyathia.
Like all Euphorbia, the latex sap is toxic.
Living in similar conditions on two different continents, Euphorbia obesa presents a form convergence with Astrophytum asterias which is a cactus from Mexico.