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Euphorbia dendroides L.

Eng.: Spurge tree.   Spa.: Lletrera, lechetrezn arbórea, tabaiba.   Fre.: Euphorbe arborescente.   Ara.: Habb el ghaa, halib el ghaa, (Egypt): libbein.   Tam.: Talelt, fernen.

Monoecious shrub, up to 2-3 m in height, but usually does not exceed 1.5 m. Variable in shape, but ± hemispherical. Sometimes, its peculiar branching makes it resemble a minute tree. Stems branched almost from the base. Reticulated bark, with clearly marked scars left by the fallen leaves. Young branches reddish, colour that is sometimes seen in old stems and branches. Leaves usually 25-90 × 3-9 mm, linear-lanceolate to linear-obovate, entire, not undulate, obtuse, matt green on the upper side and a little lighter on the underside, glabrous, densely grouped at the end of the branches. Inflorescence a terminal pleiochasium with (3)4-8(10) rays, (10)15-35(50) mm, single or bifurcated; pleiochasial bracts elliptic, yellowish; dichasial bracts suborbicular, free. Male and female flowers appear together on a subsessile, usually glabrous cyathium; nectaries yellow-orange, polymorphic, usually not appendiculate. Male flowers grouped in 5 fascicles or cincinni which surround the only female flower. Fruit a subglobose capsule, 4-5.5 × 5-8.2 mm, divided into 3 cocci or mericarps highly laterally compressed, usually with a smooth surface. Each coccus carries 1 carunculate seed, highly laterally compressed, usually smooth, greyish to blackish.