Devil's Backbone
Euphorbia tithymaloides
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & more
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Euphorbia tithymaloides
- Genus
- Euphorbia
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Jharkhand, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“The leaf is a simple angiosperm leaf, arranged oppositely on the stem.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- EntirerecordedA smooth, unbroken edge with no teeth or notches.“The leaves are glabrous (smooth) and acuminate in shape, with entire (smooth) edges.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- GlabrousrecordedSmooth, hairless.“The leaves are glabrous (smooth) and acuminate in shape, with entire (smooth) edges.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Devil's Backbone itself; the rest are typical of the Euphorbiaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- GreenrecordedGreen or greenish
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Devil's Backbone itself; the rest are typical of the Euphorbiaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- ਯੁਫ਼ੋਰਬੀਆ ਟਿਥੀਮਾਲਿਓਡਦਸ
- Malayalam
- തത്തമ്മച്ചെടി
About Devil's Backbone
Devil's Backbone (Euphorbia tithymaloides) belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and 15 other states.
Uses
In practice it is long used in traditional medicine, planted as an ornamental and burnt as firewood or charcoal. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.
Euphorbiaceae
Spurge/Euphorbia family
Devil's Backbone belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Euphorbiaceae family →Snap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Devil's Backbone or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.