Euphorbiaceae: Characteristics, Uses and Floral Formula

Table of Contents

Euphorbiaceae, also known as the spurge family, is a diverse family of flowering plants. They are commonly referred to as euphorbias. They are found as herbs, shrubs, trees and even succulents. They grow either annually or perennially. The members of the family are usually cosmopolitan and found in tropical areas but some are also seen in nontropical areas.

Around 218 genera and 6745 species of the families are known. Many members are important food sources, others can be used for their oil and waxes and extraction of medicinal drugs. Some of them are dangerous as well because of their poisonous fruits, leaves and sap.

Classification

Morphology

• The plants are either monoecious or dioecious.
• The flower is radially symmetrical, unisexual and both the male and female flowers are usually borne on the same plant.
• The stamens range from 1 to 10 in number (or maybe more in some species) and the ovaries are placed superiorly.
• The leaves are borne alternately, sometimes opposite and are stipulated. They are mostly simple leaves but some are palmately compound as well.
• The stipules may get reduced into glands, hairs or spines. They are altogether absent in succulent species.
• The inflorescence is cyathium. They are false flowers made up of a bunch of true flowers.
• The fruit is mostly a schizocarp, but sometimes may also form a drupe.
• The members of the family produce several cytotoxins such as alkaloids, diterpene esters, and cyanogenic glycosides.
• Production of milky latex is the characteristic feature of the family. The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, is the primary source of rubber for humankind.
• The family is divided into three subfamilies: Crotonoideae, Acalyphoideae and Euphorbioideae.

Important Plants of the Family

1. Manihot esculenta (cassava)
2. Ricinus communis (castor oil)
3. Acalypha sp (copperleaf)
4. Codiaeum variegatum (Croton)
5. Jatropha sp (Jatropha)
6. Hippomane mancinella (manchineel)
7. Mercurialis (mercury)
8. Croton tiglium (purging croton)
9. Hevea brasiliensis (rubber)
10. Hura crepitans and H. polyandra (sandbox tree)
11. Euphorbia sp (spurge)
12. Triadica sebifera (tallow tree)
13. Vernicia fordii (tung tree)

Uses

Euphorbia, commonly known as spurge, includes succulents, lawn weeds and cactus-like plants that are known for their beauty. Codiaeum, Hura, Acalypha, Phyllanthus, Pedilanthus and Jatropha are ornamental plants.

Ricinus communis, Croton tiglium, Manihot esculenta, Hevea brasiliensis, Vernicia fordii and Triadica sebifera are economically important plants.

The castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) is dangerous because of the ricin content in its seeds. Hippomane mancinella bears poisonous fruits and Mercuralis sp grows as a weed in many areas.

Floral Formula

Floral formula of different members of the Euphorbiaceae family is as follows:

Euphorbia: ♂ K₀ C₀ A₁ , ♀ K₀ C₀ G₍₃₎

Ricinus: ⊕ ♂ K₅ C₀ A₅ , ⊕ ♀ K₃ C₀ G₍₃₎

Croton: ⊕ ♂ K₅ C₅ A∞ , ⊕ ♀ K₅ C₅ G₍₃₎

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