Euphorbia heterophylla

Euphorbia heterophylla

Euphorbia heterophylla

Common Names: Mexican Fireplant, Painted Euphorbia, Wild Poinsettia, Fire-on-the-Mountain
Local Names: Egele (Yoruba, Nigeria)
Species ID: NMP-064| wfo-0000962516

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Clade: Tracheophytes

Clade: Angiosperms

Clade: Eudicots

Clade: Rosids

Order: Malpighiales

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Tribe: Euphorbieae

Subtribe: Euphorbiinae

Genus: Euphorbia

Species: E. heterophylla

Binomial Name: Euphorbia heterophylla L.

Synonyms: Euphorbia Agaloma angustifolia Raf., Cyathophora ciliata Raf., Cyathophora heterophylla (L.) Raf., Cyathophora picta Raf., Euphorbia calyciflora Sessé & Moc., Euphorbia elliptica Lam., Euphorbia epilobiifolia W.T.Wang, Euphorbia frangulifolia Kunth, Euphorbia geniculata Ortega, Euphorbia havanensis Willd. ex Boiss., Euphorbia linifolia Vahl, Euphorbia lockhartii Steud., Euphorbia morisoniana Klotzsch, Euphorbia pandurata Huber, Euphorbia prunifolia Jacq., Euphorbia taiwaniana S.S.Ying, Euphorbia trachyphylla A.Rich., Poinsettia frangulifolia (Kunth) Klotzsch & Garcke, Poinsettia geniculata (Ortega) Klotzsch & Garcke, Poinsettia havanensis Small, Poinsettia heterophylla (L.) Klotzsch & Garcke, Poinsettia morisoniana (Klotzsch) Klotzsch & Garcke, Poinsettia prunifolia (Jacq.) Klotzsch & Garcke, Poinsettia ruiziana Klotzsch & Garcke, Tithymalus heterophyllus (L.) Haw., Tithymalus prunifolius (Jacq.) Haw.

Morphological Description

Euphorbia heterophylla is an annual or short-lived perennial herb, growing 0.3–1 m tall, with a variable form. Key features include:

·       Stems: Erect, hollow, green to reddish, 2–5 mm thick, exuding milky latex when cut

·       Leaves: Alternate, polymorphic (ovate, lanceolate, or fiddle-shaped), 2–10 cm long, green with red/purple bases

·       Inflorescence: Cyathia, greenish, 2–3 mm, surrounded by red, pink, or white bracts

·       Seeds: Ovoid, 2–3 mm, brown, explosively dispersed

The leaf variability inspired its name, "heterophylla" (different leaves) (El-Shamy et al., 2019).

Distribution and Habitat

Euphorbia heterophylla thrives in:

Native Range: Tropical and subtropical Americas (Mexico to northern Argentina)
Introduced Range: Africa (Nigeria, South Africa), Asia (India, Philippines), Australia, southern U.S.
Habitat: Disturbed sites (roadsides, fields), agricultural lands, waste areas; 0–1,500 m altitude
Soil/Climate: Well-drained soils; warm, humid, 500–2,000 mm rainfall

It’s a noxious weed in over 20 countries due to rapid seed dispersal (Bárrios & Copeland, 2021).

Ethnopharmacology

Traditional uses are widespread, with some validated by studies:

·       Warts/Skin Conditions: Nigerian use of latex for warts.

·       Respiratory Ailments: Brazilian use for asthma; anti-inflammatory effects in rats (50% at 200 mg/kg) (Ernst et al., 2015).

·       Diuretic: Indian folk remedy; increases urine output in mice (30% at 100 mg/kg) (Mwine & Van Damme, 2011).

·       Anthelmintic: West African use against worms; active against Ascaris in vitro (PROTA, 2019).

·       Wound Healing: Mexican topical application; promotes clotting (El-Shamy et al., 2019).

⚠  Toxicity Profile: Latex causes skin/eye irritation; ingestion leads to nausea, vomiting (LD₅₀ 2,000 mg/kg in rats) (Mwine & Van Damme, 2011).

Additional Information

·       Weed Impact: Reduces crop yields (e.g., soybean by 40%) (Bárrios & Copeland, 2021).

·       Ornamental Confusion: Mimics E. pulcherrima but smaller, less showy (PROTA, 2019).

·       Ecological Role: Attracts pollinators (bees, butterflies) in native range (Shi et al., 2008).

References

  • Barrios,S., & Copeland, A. (2021). Euphorbia heterophylla. IUCN Red List of Threatened Specieshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphorbia_heterophylla
  • El-Shamy, A. I., Abd-ElGawad, A. M., El Gendy, A. E., & Assaeed, A. M. (2019). Chemical characterization of Euphorbia heterophylla L. essential oils and their antioxidant activity and allelopathic potential on Cenchrus echinatus L. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 16(6), e1900051.
  • Ernst, M., Grace, O. M., Saslis-Lagoudakis, C. H., Nilsson, N., Simonsen, H. T., & Rønsted, N. (2015). Global medicinal uses of Euphorbia L. (Euphorbiaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 176, 90–101.
  • Mwine, J. T., & Van Damme, P. (2011). Why do Euphorbiaceae species attract so much attention? A review of their ethnobotanical uses and phytochemistry. Economic Botany, 65(3), 276–292.
  • PROTA. (2019). Euphorbia heterophylla. Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Retrieved from https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Euphorbia_heterophylla_(PROTA)
  • Shi, Q. W., Su, X. H., & Kiyota, H. (2008). Chemical and pharmacological research of the plants in genus Euphorbia. Chemical Reviews, 108(10), 4295–4327.

External Links

More Pictures

 
Compounds of Euphorbia heterophylla
References

Murtala Muhammad, Etal. (2023). Phytochemical analysis of Nigerian medicinal plants. NMPP-DB Project, Department of Biochemistry, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil