Euphorbia calyptrata Coss. & Kralik

General Appearance

Euphorbia calyptrata Coss. & Kralik, it is a perennial, up to 20-70 cm tall, with a thick root and with several stems, rather often ramose, similar to the Euphorbia retusa Forssk, but cauline leaves and involucral leaves very narrow and longer, entire above; caruncle membranous or almost so with several thinner ridges (lobes). The two opposite leaves form a cup, in the center of which lies a cluster of flowers known as a cyathium. The bracts of the cyathium are fused to form four brown ‘glands’. Inside this ring of glands, one can see small male flowers reduced to a single stamen topped by two small pollen bearing spheres the anthers. A pink stalk emerges from the center of the cyathium, bearing a single female flower. The ovary of this female flower is divided into three chambers, each containing a seed; the boundaries between the chambers are marked by a red line. The ovary is topped by three styles that are fused at the base and end in crimson stigmas, which receive the pollen.

Phytochoria

SA. The native range of this species is N. Africa to Mauritania.

Distribution in Libya

Al-Qibla area: Wadis South of Mizda 2013

Al-Jufra area: (98 km) from Hun to Sebha, Wadi Soda, along the main dried water course, sandy soil with loamy top at some places 1973

Ghat area: Ghat, Al-Barkat 1976 Ghat (Between Acacus and Tassili Mountains) 2004 Wadi Tanezzuft 2012

Notes

Wild in Libya, a desert species.

This species is accepted: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:345911-1

Link of images: https://atlas-sahara.org/Euphorbiaceae/Euphorbia%20calyptrata/Euphorbia%20calyptrata.html, https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/euphorbiaceae/euphorbia-calyptrata, https://africanplants.senckenberg.de/item/9298

For more information

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:345911-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/345911-1, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000961179, https://www.gbif.org/species/3066564, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/143011/euphorbia-calyptrata-coss-kralik, https://atlas-sahara.org/Euphorbiaceae/Euphorbia%20calyptrata/Euphorbia%20calyptrata.html, https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/euphorbiaceae/euphorbia-calyptrata, https://africanplants.senckenberg.de/item/9298

Bibliographic References

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Jafri, S.M.H. & El-Gadi, A. (1982) Flora of Libya, Euphorbiaceae Vol. (89) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. Page. 30.

Second: Researches and PhD theses, master theses, Sorted by Newest:

Mohamed, F.J. (2013) A Taxonomic Study of Wadis Flora South of Mizda at the intersections with Mizda-Sebha Highway. Master Thesis. Department of Botany-Faculty of Science-Sebha University. Libya. (In Arabic).

Mukassabi, T.A, Ahmidat, G., Sherif, I.M., ELMogasapi, A. (2012) Checklist and life forms of plant species in contrasting climatic zones of Libya. Biological Diversity and Conservation – 5 / 3 (2012) https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/biodicon/issue/55888/765799, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259357995_Checklist_and_life_forms_of_plant_species_in_contrasting_climatic_zones_of_Libya

Checklist and life forms of plant species in contrasting climatic zones of Libya. 2012

Ahmidat, Gh. (2004) Study of the vegetation cover of the area between the Acacus Mountains and the Tassili Mountains (Ghat). Master Thesis. Department of Botany.College of Science. Sebha University. Libya. (In Arabic).