Euphorbia mellifera

Euphorbia mellifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Species: E. mellifera
Binomial name
Euphorbia mellifera
Ait.
Synonyms
  • Euphorbia longifolia Lam.
  • Euphorbia longifolia var. canariensis (Boiss.) Oudejans
  • Euphorbia mellifera var. canariensis Boiss.
  • Kobiosis mellifera (Aiton) Raf.
  • Tithymalus melliferus (Aiton) Moench

Euphorbia mellifera (canary spurge,[1] honey spurge[2]) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to Madeira and the Canary islands.[3][4]:207It is an evergreen shrub growing to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) or more, with narrow leaves up to 20 cm (8 in) long. In spring it produces brown, honey-scented flowers.[5]

The Latin specific epithet mellifera means "producing honey".[6]

It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[7]

Like all euphorbias, this plant contains a milky-white sap, which oozes out of the stems when cut. This can be a skin irritant and is very harmful to the eyes. Gloves should be worn when pruning,

References

  1. "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. Euphorbia mellifera in BoDD Botanical Dermatology Database
  3. "Flora de Canarias: Euphorbia_mellifera". Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  4. Bramwell, D.; Bramwell, Z. (2001). Wild flowers of the Canary Islands. Madrid, Spain: Editorial Rueda. ISBN 84-7207-129-4.
  5. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
  6. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
  7. "Euphorbia mellifera". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
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