List of Euphorbiaceae of South Africa

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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]

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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

Genus Acalypha : [5]

Adenocline

Genus Adenocline : [5]

Alchornea

Genus Alchornea : [5]

Aleurites

Genus Aleurites : [5]

Anisophyllum

Genus Anisophyllum : [5]

Anthacantha

Genus Anthacantha : [5]

Arthrothamnus

Genus Arthrothamnus : [5]

Breynia

Genus Breynia : [5]

Caperonia

Genus Caperonia : [5]

Cavacoa

Genus Cavacoa

Cephalocroton

Genus Cephalocroton : [5]

Chamaesyce

Genus Chamaesyce : [5]

Chrozophora

Genus Chrozophora : [5]

Clutia

Genus Clutia : [5]

Croton

Genus Croton : [5]

Ctenomeria

Genus Ctenomeria : [5]

Dactylanthes

Genus Dactylanthes : [5]

Dalechampia

Genus Dalechampia : [5]

Erythrococca

Genus Erythrococca : [5]

Euphorbia

Genus Euphorbia : [5]

Excoecaria

Genus Excoecaria : [5]

Galarhoeus

Genus Galarhoeus : [5]

Homalanthus

Genus Homalanthus : [5]

Jatropha

Genus Jatropha : [5]

Leidesia

Genus Leidesia : [5]

Macaranga

Genus Macaranga : [5]

Manihot

Genus Manihot : [5]

Medusea

Genus Medusea : [5]

Mercurialis

Genus Mercurialis : [5]

Micrococca

Genus Micrococca : [5]

Monadenium

Genus Monadenium : [5]

Pedilanthus

Genus Pedilanthus : [5]

Pterococcus

Genus Pterococcus : [5]

Ricinus

Genus Ricinus : [5]

Sapium

Genus Sapium : [5]

Schinziophyton

Genus Schinziophyton : [5]

Sclerocroton

Genus Sclerocroton : [5]

Seidelia

Genus Seidelia : [5]

Shirakiopsis

Genus Shirakiopsis : [5]

Spirostachys

Genus Spirostachys : [5]

Suregada

Genus Suregada : [5]

Synadenium

Genus Synadenium : [5]

Tithymalus

Genus Tithymalus : [5]

Tragia

Genus Tragia : [5]

Tragiella

Genus Tragiella : [5]

Treisia

Genus Treisia : [5]

Vernicia

Genus Vernicia : [5]

References

  1. "Definition of Euphorbia". Merriam Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 "species_checklist_20180710.csv". South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 27 September 2020.