1035

Euphorbia umbellata (Pax) Bruyns

Synonym	:	Synadenium grantii Hook.f.,
Family	:	EUPHORBIACEAE
Local name	:	English- African milk bush
Flowering and fruiting period	:	January-May
Distribution	:	Native of Africa
Distribution in kerala	:	Palakkad, Idukki
Habitat	:	Grown as live fence
Uses	:	used for the treatment of various diseases such as allergies, gastric disorders, and especially cancer.
Key Botanical Characters :  Monoecious shrub; branchlets subfleshy, rounded, latex milky, copious. Leaves alternate, broadly lanceolate, to 18 x 8 cm, subfleshy, base cuneate, decurrent into petiole, apex obtuse; petiole to 1 cm. Cyathia in lax, subterminal or axillary cymose panicles; peduncles dichotomously branched, to 10 cm. Gland cushion-like, 0.8 cm wide; rim even, recurved. Involucre cupular; bracts 5, suborbicular, fimbriate. Staminate: florets 20-30, in 5 groups. Stamen 1; anther globose, dehiscence transverse. Pistillate: floret 1, laterally pendulous. Ovary 3-celled; ovule 1 per cell, pendulous; styles 3, bifid. Capsule 3-lobed, of 3, bivalved cocci; seeds oblong.