List of Euphorbiaceae of South Africa

Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants (anthophytes) in the order Malpighiales. In common English, they are sometimes called euphorbias,[1] which is also the name of a genus in the family. Most spurges are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti because of convergent evolution.[2]

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened.[3] Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.[4]

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).[5]

47 genera are represented in the literature.[5] Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Acalypha

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Genus Acalypha:[5]

Adenocline

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Genus Adenocline:[5]

Alchornea

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Genus Alchornea:[5]

Aleurites

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Genus Aleurites:[5]

  • Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd. not indigenous, naturalised
    • Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd. var. moluccana, not indigenous, naturalised

Anisophyllum

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Genus Anisophyllum:[5]

Anthacantha

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Genus Anthacantha:[5]

Arthrothamnus

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Genus Arthrothamnus:[5]

Breynia

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Genus Breynia:[5]

  • Breynia disticha J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive

Caperonia

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Genus Caperonia:[5]

Cavacoa

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Genus Cavacoa

Cephalocroton

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Genus Cephalocroton:[5]

Chamaesyce

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Genus Chamaesyce:[5]

Chrozophora

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Genus Chrozophora:[5]

Clutia

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Genus Clutia:[5]

Croton

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Genus Croton:[5]

Ctenomeria

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Genus Ctenomeria:[5]

Dactylanthes

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Genus Dactylanthes:[5]

Dalechampia

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Genus Dalechampia:[5]

Erythrococca

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Genus Erythrococca:[5]

Euphorbia

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Genus Euphorbia:[5]

Excoecaria

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Genus Excoecaria:[5]

Galarhoeus

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Genus Galarhoeus:[5]

Homalanthus

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Genus Homalanthus:[5]

Jatropha

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Genus Jatropha:[5]

Leidesia

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Genus Leidesia:[5]

Macaranga

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Genus Macaranga:[5]

  • Macaranga capensis (Baill.) Benth. ex Sim, indigenous
    • Macaranga capensis (Baill.) Benth. ex Sim var. capensis, indigenous

Manihot

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Genus Manihot:[5]

Medusea

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Genus Medusea:[5]

Mercurialis

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Genus Mercurialis:[5]

Micrococca

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Genus Micrococca:[5]

Monadenium

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Genus Monadenium:[5]

Pedilanthus

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Genus Pedilanthus:[5]

Pterococcus

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Genus Pterococcus:[5]

Ricinus

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Genus Ricinus:[5]

  • Ricinus communis L. accepted as Ricinus communis L. var. communis, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
    • Ricinus communis L. var. communis, not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive

Sapium

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Genus Sapium:[5]

Schinziophyton

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Genus Schinziophyton:[5]

Sclerocroton

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Genus Sclerocroton:[5]

Seidelia

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Genus Seidelia:[5]

Shirakiopsis

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Genus Shirakiopsis:[5]

Spirostachys

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Genus Spirostachys:[5]

Suregada

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Genus Suregada:[5]

Synadenium

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Genus Synadenium:[5]

Tithymalus

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Genus Tithymalus:[5]

Tragia

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Genus Tragia:[5]

Tragiella

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Genus Tragiella:[5]

Treisia

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Genus Treisia:[5]

Vernicia

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Genus Vernicia:[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Definition of Euphorbia". Merriam Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  2. ^ Natasha Nguyen (2014). "Convergent evolution of cacti and euphorbias". Retrieved 31 March 2007.
  3. ^ Butler, Rhett A. (1 July 2019). "Total number of plant species by country". Mongabay. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Vegetation of South Africa". PlantZAfrica.com. SA National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av "species_checklist_20180710.csv". South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 27 September 2020.