The species name is sometimes spelled Euphorbia forskalii[].

Common Name:

General Information

Euphorbia forskaolii is a prostrate, annual to perennial plant producing many stems 10 - 30cm long. The stems are branched from the base and are not spiny[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

Although we have seen no specific information for this plant, the latex in most, if not all Euphorbias is caustic and toxic - skin contact often causing irritation and blistering; contact with the eyes causing temporary or even permanent blindness; whilst ingestion can cause purging or more severe problems[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - northern and tropical western Africa east to the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey. Also found in Namibia.

Habitat

River banks, waste ground, weed of cultivation; sandy soils; sometimes in very calcareous sites; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	0.05 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Found in the wild on clay soils[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Extracts of the plant are taken as a purgative to treat tapeworm[].
The plant is pounded with a little water and applied to the head and neck to treat headache, bone fractures or traumatic swellings[].

The latex is applied topically to warts, sores, guinea-worm and jiggers[]. The latex is applied to the breasts as a galactagogue[].

Other Uses

Petroleum-ether extracts of the whole plant show significant activity against freshwater snails[].

Propagation

Seed -

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