Devil's Backbone
Pedilanthus tithymaloides
Also known as Zigzag Plant, Jacob's Ladder
- Habit
- Shrub
- Found in India
- West Bengal
- Flowering
- April-August
How to identify Devil's Backbone
Identify Devil's Backbone by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a shrub habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Zigzag succulent stems, slipper-shaped red flowers (devil's backbone).
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm leaf margin: Entire.
- Confirm flower colour: Red.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: April-August.
- In India, compare location records such as West Bengal.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Pedilanthus tithymaloides
- Genus
- Pedilanthus
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Habit
- Shrub
- Native to
- West Indies
- Distribution
- Tropics
- Found in India
- West Bengal
- Flowering & fruiting
- April-August
- 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
- Redrecorded
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.
About Devil's Backbone
A member of the Euphorbiaceae family, Devil's backbone (Pedilanthus tithymaloides) is a shrub. In India it has been recorded in West Bengal. Flowering and fruiting run from April to August.
Uses
Locally 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.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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