Euphorbia pseudosikkimensis

.
Himalaya to S. Tibet: East Himalaya, Nepal, Tibet, West Himalaya as per POWO;
.
Images by Anurag Sharma – Id by N.P.Balakrishnan, (inserted by Bhagyashri Ranade)

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-7-1-7.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1-4-0-6.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-8-7-6.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-0-0-1-0.JPG

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Date: 26th May 2015
Place: Churdhar Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh
Habit: Herb

This appears to be Euphorbia donii Oudejans (E. longifolia Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don, non Lam. 1788), which is common from W.Himalaya to Nepal and Bhutan.
However, let … study live plants with reference to the description and illustration given in Revision of genus Euphorbia in India (2010, page 254)

.


SK 3087 28 October 2021: 2 very high res. images.
Location: Rara, Nepal
Altitude: 2957m.
Date: 20 August 2021
Habit : Wild
Euphorbia wallichii Hook. f. ??

This appears to be Euphorbia wallichii Hook.f.

Can it be Euphorbia cornigera Boiss., as ovary is not smooth?

I cannot say but I would be happy if it turn out to this sp.

Your views on this … after your ID of this plant from Nepal
SK 3165 23 November 2021 (google.com)

Is there any possibility of Euphorbia donii Oudejans, as per keys in BSI Flora of India?

According to the FLORA OF INDIA VOLUME 23, E. donii also have ‘sparsely warty fruits’, as such could it be E. donii?? since it has got distribution in Nepal !

Is Euphorbia pseudosikkimensis (Hurus. & Yu.Tanaka) Radcl.-Sm. revised new name ?

.


SK 3165 23 November 2021: 6 very high res. images.

Location: Mugu, Rara, West Nepal
Altitude: 2913m.
Date: 20 August 2021
Habit : Wild
Euphorbia….??

Fruits are warty. Hence this appears to be Euphorbia cornigera Boiss,

I guess it has got no distribution in Nepal so far.
Then maybe a new sp. for Nepal !

Yes, a new record for Nepal.

Is there any possibility of Euphorbia donii Oudejans, as per keys in BSI Flora of India.

According to the FLORA OF INDIA VOLUME 23, E. donii also have ‘sparsely warty fruits’,
as such could it be E. donii?? since it has got distribution in Nepal !

.


SK 3158 21 November 2021: 8 very high res. images.

Location:Mugu, West Nepal
Altitude: 2800m.
Date: 20 August 2021
Habit : Wild
Euphorbia …???

I think there is a possibility of Euphorbia cornigera Boiss.
… can confirm or otherwise.

Or can it be Euphorbia donii Oudejans, as per keys in BSI Flora of India.

I guess only experts can say about the wart pattern on fruit about the two sp. and decide.

.


SK 3214 10 September 2021: 7 very high res. images.

Location: Jumla, West Nepal
Altitude: 2500m.
Date: 25 August 2021 
Habit : Wild
Euphorbia donii Oudejans ?? or some other ??

What are the species listed in your book?

From the above list, I think Euphorbia donii is the best bet as per images and details herein and as per POWO specimen.
According to the FLORA OF INDIA VOLUME 23, E. donii also have ‘sparsely warty fruits’.

Any further opinion on : efi thread one, two and three

.


SK 2946 08 August 2021: 2 very high res. images.
Location: Far West, Nepal
Altitude: 2100m.
Date: July 2021
Habit : Wild
Euphorbia sikkimensis Boiss. ??

Yes, appears close as per images and details at Euphorbia sikkimensis ? and FoC illustration.

This appears more like E. cornigera Boiss.

It is not listed in Nepal

But it should be possible. Pl. see the distribution as per POWO.

Euphorbia pseudosikkimensis (Hurus. & Yu.Tanaka) Radcl.-Sm. ??
Syn : Euphorbia donii Oudejans

.


SK 3323 23 January 2022: 5 very high res. images.

Location: Surkhet, West Nepal
Altitude:  2121 m.
Date: 12 August 2021
Habit : Wild
Fruits look warty!

I think this may again be E.donii (syn. of Euphorbia pseudosikkimensis (Hurus. & Yu.Tanaka) Radcl.-Sm.) as per POWO specimen- one and as per keys and description in BSI Flora of India.
… may confirm or otherwise pl.

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/DSC_0147%20-%20Copy-4.JPG
/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/DSC_0148-7-6.JPG
Euphorbia sikkimensis Boiss. (accepted name) : 9 posts by 6 authors. Attachments (2)
Sharing some pictures I guess is Euphorbia sikkimensis Boiss. (accepted name)
shot on the way to Kalinchowk Dlakha Nepal on 26 July 2014 at around 9000 ft.

nice picture, yes it is Euphorbia spp 

Yes this is Euphorbia sikkimensis Boiss., characterised by the solitary terminal cyathium within the 3 pseudoumbel leaves.

Yes, this appears close to E.sikkimensis but have you considered Euphorbia schillingii?  There is a photo in the ‘Supplement’ to ‘Flowers of the Himalaya’ (which was privately published & paid for by the late Adam Stainton, co-author of the main ‘Flowers of the Himalaya’) which was named provisionally as Euphorbia aff. sikkimensis – meaning “has affinities to”, which comes very close to the specimen at Kalinchowk. I did once ask a member of staff at Kew their precise interpretation/usage of the term but never got a reply. Like so much, there is an element of interpretation involved.
Anyhow, in the description Stainton states, “the plant illustrated was photographed by Mr. A.Schilling in the Dudh Kosi valley of E.Nepal… it differs in some respects from E.sikkimensis“. At the end of the introduction to this book, the author noted (1997) that the specimen was about to be published as a new species, Euphorbia schillingii (please note Schilling was from the UK Royal Horticultural Society and helped establish The Royal Botanic Garden, Godawari, Nepal) A.Radcliffe-Smith. A principal distinction is that the fruits are warty, whereas the fruits of E.sikkimensis are smooth.  … images are of immature fruits but I think I can detect developing warts?  What do others think.
E.schillingii has been recorded from Central & East Nepal. E.sikkimensis has been recorded from East Nepal to Bhutan and Tibet. But perhaps the distribution of both are not perfectly know due to similarities. There are herbarium specimens labelled as E.sikkimensis collected by Hooker in India at Kew which can be viewed on-line.

Euphorbia is a big and difficult genus to me.
What I am able to see in the plate of ‘Flowers of the Himalaya: A supplement’ (by A.Stainton) and referred by …, that the cyathia are terminal but not solitary as the cyathia are surrounded by few bud like structures (E. schillingii). Such structures are not visible in the images by … The specimens at Kew have little help as detailed structure can not be seen in them and the type of species are from the plant cultivated in Europe.

I guess there are some warts on fruit.

Keys from BSI Flora of India, lead me to E.donii:

b. Leaves less than 2.5 cm broad, quite glabrous on upper surface; cyathia less thanca 5 x 6 mm 79
79 a. Leaves petiolate; ovary smooth 57. Euphorbia sikkimensis
b. Leaves sessile or subsessile; ovary papillate 80
80 a. Leaves less than 5 cm long; ray leaves obovate, subrhomboid; styles free from base 44. Euphorbia khasyana
b. Leaves more than 5 cm long; ray leaves ovate; styles connate up to middle 38. Euphorbia donii

.

SK 3786 09 July 2023: 10 very high res. images.

Location: Dhorpatan, Baglung, Nepal 
Date: 31May 2023
Elevation: 2900 m.
Habit : Wild
Euphorbia wallichii Hook.f. ???

I take this as Euphorbia donii, which is, however shown to be a synonym of E. pseudosikkimensis here:
https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Euphorbia%20donii

 

 

 

.

References:
POWO specimen- one Catalogue of Life The Plant List Ver.1.1  WCSP  IPNI  GRIN  keys and description in BSI Flora of India  Flora of China  India Biodiversity Portal  Great Dixter Dave’s Garden

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *