Euphorbiaceae
(Spurge Family)
Habit
- ours herbs or shrubs, usu. with
milky sap
containing toxic alkaloids
Leaves
-
alernate,
simple,
stipulate
Inflorescence
-
racemose or
cymose; in Euphorbia, a
cyathium,
Flowers
-
imperfect, male or female; often naked
Gynoecium
-
syncarpous, of 3
carpels;
ovary superior, with 1-2
ovules per
locule
Fruit
-
capsule; splitting into 3 segments along
sutures then
dehiscing
(schizocarpic)
Diversity
- 300 genera / 7,500 spp
Distribution
- pan-tropical especially in Africa
Economics
- rubber; castor oil; tung-oil; cultivated ornamentals;
only edible member is Manihot, source of cassava, tapioca
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