Sir, wanted to clarify two keys whether they should be included or not :
One : Stems not developed above ground leaves all radical and
Stem well developed above ground , leaves not radical
Second : Cyathia is red in E. caducifolia
Cyathia is green in E. neriifolia.
regards,
Rashida.
On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 7:41 PM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> wrote:
> Revised identification key for the woody species of Euphorbia
>
> Stems unarmed; without stipular spines
> Leaves shorter than 10 cm, all leaves of same colour
> Stem and leaves uniformly red, leaves in whorls of three,
> petiole almost as long as blade.......E. cotoniifolia
> Stem and leaves green, leaves alternate, petiole much shorter
> than blade
> Leaves shorter than 2 cm, less than 2 mm broad, branches
> straight, mostly leafless
> (leaves early
> deciduous)......................................................................E.
> tirucalli
> Leaves longer than 3 cm, more than 2 cm broad, branches
> zigzag, mostly with leaves.......E. tithymaloides
> Leaves longer than 10 cm; lower leaves green, upper partly or
> uniformally coloured
> - Hide quoted text -
> Leaves below the inflorescence uniformally coloured (red,
> white or yellow); leaves not lobed...E. pulcherrima
> Leaves below the inflorescence coloured only at base; leaves
> lobed or not
> Base of upper leaves pale green or pale white; leaves
> lobed or not...............................E. heterophylla
> Base of upper leaves red; leaves
> lobed......................................................................E.
> cyathophora
> Stems armed with spines
> Spines borne on stem, usually longer than 1 cm; two showy bracts
> around cyathium...................E. milii
> Spines borne on raised shield, usually shorter than 1 cm, two showy
> bracts lacking
> Stem rounded, not angled or winged
> Shrub wiithout trunk with branches arising from base,
> smaller leaves (3-8 cm long)
>
> and longer spines 0.5-1 cm.............E caducifolia
> Tree with distinct trunk, leaves 10-25 cm long, spines
> shorter than 0.5 cm........................E. nivulia).
> Stem angled or winged
> Angles not produced into wing, spirally
> arranged:....................................................... E.
> neriifolia
> Angles produced into wings
> Wings 3-4
> The wings running straight, sinuate, regularly
> dentate
> Stems green without white
> bands....................................................E. antiquorum
> Stems white wholly or
> partially
> The stems with
> white bands on faces
> Apex of stem
> not cristate (without crowns at tips)...........E. lactea
> Apex of stem
> cristate (with crowns at tips)......................E lactea cv. Cristata
>
> The stems uniformly
> greyish white...................................... ...E. lactea cv. White
> Ghost
> The wings running spirally,
> ...................................................................................E.
> tortilis
> Wings 5-6,
> undulate.....................................................................................................E.
> royleana
>
>
>
> --
> Dr. Gurcharan Singh
> Retired Associate Professor
> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089
> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/
>
>
