Euphorbia is a genus in the family Euphorbiaceae. Consisting of 2008 species, Euphorbia is the fourth largest genus of flowering plants. Succulent species originate mostly from Africa, the Americas and Madagascar. The common name “spurge” derives from the Middle English/Old French espurge (“to purge”), due to the use of the plant’s sap as a medicinal purgative. The plants are annual or perennial herbs, woody shrubs or trees. Smaller Euphorbias make excellent potted plants while larger species are valuable landscaping plants.

Euphorbia bubalina commonly known as Bosmelkbos in Afrikaans is a South African endemic succulent found exclusively in the Eastern Cape Province. It is a spineless succulent shrub with cylindrical stems and with leaves alternately arranged. It grows from 30cm to 60cm tall and looks like a Euphorbia clava, only leafier and the cyathia is on even longer stalks. The stems are also woodier looking than the succulent green stems of Euphorbia clava. Euphorbia bubalina, synonymously known as Euphorbia laxiflora was described by Pierre Edmond Boissier in 1860.