This species is confused with the very similar species Euphorbia paganorum A.Chev., and part of its distribution area has probably been wrongly attributed to this last species[]. The two species have the same uses[].

Common Name:

General Information

Euphorbia sudanica is a spiny, evergreen, succculent shrub or small tree growing up to 2 metres tall. The plant usually branches freely from low down, though sometimes develops a short, clear trunk[].
The plant is sometimes grown as a boundary marker, the latex is used to repel birds and monkeys and the plant is occasionally used medicinally.

Known Hazards

The very caustic latex is used as an ingredient of arrow poison and in bait for trapping animal pests[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Senegal to Niger, also in Sudan.

Habitat

Sandstone rocks, laterite[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Leaves are only present for about 3 months, during the rainy season; flowers appear at the end of the dry season, on bare branches[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

In general, this species is considered to be too poisonous for medicinal use, though the following applications have been recorded.
A preliminary test of the latex showed the presence of diterpene esters of the alcohol 12-deoxyphorbol[].

A decoction of the stem ash, combined with the leaves of Sarcocephalus latifolius, is used to wash the body to treat leprosy[].

Stem or root decoctions, or the latex, are applied to wounds and sores[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Planted as a boundary marker[].

Other Uses

The caustic latex is applied to peanuts to prevent them being eaten by monkeys and birds[]. This is probably to the seeds that are being sown[].

Propagation

Seed -

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: a square has how many sides?