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 virosa is a vigorous shrub that grows about 3 meters high. Though it is indigenous to South Africa where it is found around the Orange River, it is also found north towards Namibia and South Angola. The species name virosa means “bad smell” and in Kaokoland in Namibia the white juice of Euphorbia virosa is mixed with that of Adenium boehmiammum and used as an arrow-poison to hunt small animals. The stem is divided into large numbers of branches 5cm to 6cm thick. They are segmented in joints 7cm to 9cm in length. The flowers are produced mostly during spring. The local common name is “Gifboom”, which means “poison tree”.