Euphorbia is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae, not just to members of the genus.
Richard Evans Schultes was an American biologist, considered to be the father of modern ethnobotany. He is known for his studies of the uses of plants by indigenous peoples, especially the indigenous peoples of the Americas. He worked on entheogenic or hallucinogenic plants, particularly in Mexico and the Amazon, involving lifelong collaborations with chemists. He had charismatic influence as an educator at Harvard University; several of his students and colleagues went on to write popular books and assume influential positions in museums, botanical gardens, and popular culture.
Phyllanthaceae is a family of flowering plants in the eudicot order Malpighiales. It is most closely related to the family Picrodendraceae.
The family Pandaceae consists of three genera that were formerly recognized in the Euphorbiaceae. Those are:
Codiaeae is a tribe of the subfamily Crotonoideae, under the family Euphorbiaceae. It comprises 15 genera.
Omphalea is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1759. It is native to tropical parts of the Americas, the West Indies, Asia, Australia, and Africa.
Cyttaranthus is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1955. It contains only one known species, Cyttaranthus congolensis, native to tropical Africa.
Aparisthmium is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1840. It contains only one known species, Aparisthmium cordatum, native to South America and Costa Rica.
Bocquillonia is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1862. The entire genus is endemic to New Caledonia. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that Bocquillonia is nested in Alchornea.
Alchorneopsis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1865. It is native to Central America, the Greater Antilles, and northern South America.
- Alchorneopsis floribunda(Benth.) Müll.Arg. - Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, 3 Guianas, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, NW Brazil
- Alchorneopsis portoricensisUrb. - Puerto Rico
Caryodendron is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1860. The genus includes C. orinocense, known as the Inchi tree or Tacay nut. It is native to Central America and South America. They are dioecious trees.
- Caryodendron amazonicumDucke - Amazonas in Brazil
- Caryodendron angustifoliumStandl. - Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia
- Caryodendron janeirenseMüll.Arg. - Rio de Janeiro
- Caryodendron orinocenseH.Karst - Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador
Caperonia is a genus of plants of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1825. The genus is native to tropical and subtropical America and Africa.
Botryophora is a genus of plant of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1888. It contains only one known species, Botryophora geniculata, native to Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java.
Podadenia is a genus of plant of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1821. At present, only species is recognized in the genus, Podadenia sapida, endemic to Sri Lanka.
Benoistia is a genus of shrubs or trees of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) and the monotypic subtribe Benoistiinae. It was first described as a genus in 1939. The entire genus is endemic to Madagascar. It is dioecious.
- Benoistia orientalisRadcl.-Sm. - N + E Madagascar
- Benoistia perrieriH.Perrier & Leandri - Madagascar
- Benoistia sambiranensisH.Perrier & Leandri - N Madagascar
Cavacoa is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1955. All the species are native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is dioecious.
- Cavacoa aurea(Cavaco) J.Léonard - Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal
- Cavacoa baldwinii(Keay & Cavaco) J.Léonard - Sierra Leone, Liberia
- Cavacoa quintasii(Pax & K.Hoffm.) J.Léonard - Annobón, São Tomé, Zaïre
Baloghia is a genus of plants under the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1833. It is native to Australia, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. Cocconerion is a close relative.
Uapaca is a genus of plant, in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1858. It is the only genus comprised in the tribe Uapaceae. The genus is native to Africa and Madagascar. Uapaca is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Daphniphyllum is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Daphniphyllaceae and was described as a genus in 1826. The genus includes evergreen shrubs and trees mainly native to east and southeast Asia, but also found in the Indian Subcontinent and New Guinea.
Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of the type genus of the family. Most spurges, such as Euphorbia paralias, are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are shrubs or trees, such as Hevea brasiliensis. Some, such as Euphorbia canariensis, are succulent and resemble cacti because of convergent evolution. This family has a cosmopolitan global distribution. The greatest diversity of species is in the tropics; however, the Euphorbiaceae also have many species in nontropical areas of all continents except Antarctica.
