This tree belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. This family has about 275 genera and 7 500 species with a very wide distribution. In South Africa, there are 50 genera and 484 species. Members of this family are present on all continents except for Antarctica!
This sturdy tree can grow up to 11m high, and in rare cases may reach as high as 15m, with its massive, single, rounded and succulent crown. It has grey bark that is roughish to the touch. These plants are succulent and only cactus-like, as true cacti lack the paired spines and the toxic latex that is present in the Euphorbia.
The tree is monoecious (meaning it has both male and female reproductive organs on the same plant). Individual flowers occur in an inflorescence called a cyathium – and what appears to be a single flower but is, in fact, a collection of male and female flowers. Each flower has no sepals and petals.
The individual flowers are unisex – either male or female. Many male flowers surround the single female flower. Pollinators such as butterflies, bees and other insects, are lured by the coloured nectar glands and modified bracts (that resemble petals) and pollinate them whilst gathering pollen and nectar. The abundance of nectar, and the resultant poisonous honey produced, known as ‘noors’ honey, causes a burning sensation in the mouth and throat which is intensified by the drinking of water, and may be accompanied by nausea.
The fruit is reddish-purple and may colour the tree slightly. When mature, it becomes purplish and woody.
These plants usually occur at an altitude of between 300m and 1 500m. They are common on rocky outcrops, in deciduous woodlands, flat bushveld, hills and savannah. They often occur close to termite mounds. They are found on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast and northwards to Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo. They also occur in Swaziland, Zimbabwe, northern and southern Mozambique and northwards into tropical Africa.
These trees can conserve water and their lack of leaves is compensated for by its stems which are photosynthetic. They are one of the few plants that use all three different photosynthesis mechanisms (creating oxygen and energy from carbon dioxide). These mechanisms are sunlight, water and an unusual one, CAM photosynthesis (crassulacean acid metabolism). Here the stomata, control the gaseous exchange (release of oxygen and take-up of carbon dioxide) between the plant and the surrounding atmosphere – photosynthesising during the day, but only opening at night to exchange the gases, thereby preserving moisture.
Birds, like the bulbuls, crested guineafowl, doves, and franklins feed on the fruit. Old wood is used by woodpeckers for nesting. The roots are eaten by porcupines and cane-rats. Flowers, including buds, are eaten by vervet monkeys.
In all Euphorbias, the latex like sap is very poisonous – causing intense irritation and blistering to the skin and mucous membranes. If the latex comes into contact with the eyes, it can cause temporary or even permanent blindness. A bundle of grass soaked in the latex and then thrown into water is used to stun fish. Prior to cutting, the tree is often subjected to fire which decreases the effect of the toxic sap. The tough wood from the main trunk, which has a low density, can be used for making canoes, planks and doors.
This plant has been used medicinally as a purgative or for ulcers. The Venda and Sotho people have been known to use it against cancer.
So don’t fiddle around with the latex, and rather observe this beauty from a distance.
