Definition

Noun: * A species of flowering plant: Euphorbia milii is the scientific name for a specific, somewhat climbing, bushy succulent plant in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), native to Madagascar. It is characterized by long, woody, spiny stems, few leaves, and small flowers surrounded by showy, often scarlet, petal-like bracts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The garden featured a vibrant hedge of Euphorbia milii along the wall.
  • Due to its drought tolerance, Euphorbia milii is a popular choice for xeriscaping.
  • Be careful when handling Euphorbia milii, as its milky sap can be a skin irritant.

Advanced Usage

• In Horticulture: The term is used precisely to refer to the species and its cultivated varieties, often discussed in the context of succulent care, hybridization, or botanical classification.
  • The hybridizer developed a new cultivar from Euphorbia milii with yellow bracts.

Variants and Related Words

• Crown of Thorns: The common name for .
  • She has a potted Crown of Thorns on her sunny windowsill.
• Spurge: The common name for plants in the genus .
  • Many spurges, like Euphorbia milii, have a characteristic milky latex.

Synonyms

• Crown of Thorns (common name)

Notes

• This is a taxonomic binomial (genus + species) and is always written in italics in formal botanical texts. The genus name () is capitalized, while the species epithet () is not.

Noun

1. somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts