Euphorbia?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by gregv, Jan 22, 2006.

  1. gregv

    gregv Member

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    Would very much appreciate help to ID these plants. All were found growing in garden in Ghana, West Africa. Their origin/native location - indigenous or imported - is unknown.

    #1 Photo 13-DSCN4683: ~80 cm (~30 inches) high, hard erect stalks, 2-3 cm diameter (~1 inch) at base.

    #2 Photo 15-DSCN4685: Desert Rose? Adenium obesum? Except the leave are somewhat heart shaped - indentation at end of leaf instead of a point as in all Adenium obesum pictures I have been able to find.

    #3 Photo 18-DSCN4688: Cross section is three-pointed star, no spines, small leaves (plant in photo is about 30 cm high (~12 inches)

    #4 Photo 19-DSCN4689: Opuntia?? No spines on this prickly pear look-a-like. Is it a cactus?

    #5 Photo 23-DSCN4691: Plant in photo is about 25 cm high (~10 inches)

    #6 Photo 25-DSCN4692: Cross section is three-pointed star, 2 opposed spines per point, spines about 5 mm long

    #7 Photo 30-DSCN4695: Cereus?? Spines about 7-10 mm long, three spines per point. Photo in plant is about 60 cm high (~2 feet). Cross section is five sided star.
     

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  2. gregv

    gregv Member

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    NOTE TO ALL: I apologize for the unlabeled photos in this post. they should be numbered from 1 to 8, left to right, starting on the top row. Please ignore photo #8. I'm pretty sure that this is a Euphorbia antiquorum.
     
  3. Honeysuckle

    Honeysuckle Active Member

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    Re: Sanseveria, Adenum & Euphorbias

    Hi Greg, I recognize all of your plants so I can give you a general starting point...

    #1. Sansevieria pearsonii or S. cylindrica (See this thread for more discussion about this plant)
    #2. Agree, it looks like Adenum obesum
    #3, 6, 7. All are Euphorbias - I'm not immediately familiar with the specific names but they look like some varieties commonly grown. (If you browse the Plant ID section of the forum, you'll find lots of url links to Cactus & Succulent databases/ galleries that will help you with your identification.)
    #4. A variety of Opuntia
     
  4. gregv

    gregv Member

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    Re #1: Thanks, Honeysuckle. With the photos you directed me to, I'm reasonably sure it's S. pearsonii. The S. Cylindrica apparently has some kind of horizontal variegation along the stem (according to one of the URL's you sent me to) that I can find on my example.
     
  5. gregv

    gregv Member

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  6. Honeysuckle

    Honeysuckle Active Member

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    #7. Cereus (peruvianus?) - here's a CactiGuide page that may help you identify it more specifically

    I have a similar-looking unknown opuntia so thanks for the link :)
     
  7. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Slightly off-topic, but a tip - if you let your mouse pointer sit over the images briefly, it will show the file name and you can use that to figure out which one is which.
     
  8. gregv

    gregv Member

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    Re #7: Honeysuckle - Thanks for the link to the CactiCuide.

    I agree, my plant does look somewhat like the Cereus peruvianus (aka C. Repandus). I also found similarities to the C. jamacaru. However, in both cases, the spines on my plant are much shorter than they appear to be on either the C. peruvianus or the C. jamacaru. Is spine length just a function of age (and size)?

    My plant also doesn't have the rather segmented trunk as it appears in the CactiGuide illustrations. I have tried to upload here a close-up of the top of my plant to give a little more detail. If my plant is a true cactus, it is going to be pretty hard to identify until it finally flowers.

    Thanks for your help. All brainstorms are much appreciated!
     

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  9. Nandan Kalbag

    Nandan Kalbag Active Member

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    5th. is Monadenium lugarde & 8th. is most likely Euphorbia lactea or Euphorbia trigona
     
  10. gregv

    gregv Member

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    Nandan,

    Thanks for this help. They have all flourished since I originally posted the photos. I'll post an updated photo on #5 for you to confirm (as soon as I get back to Ghana - I'm traveling right now).

    Regards,
    Greg
     

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