Euphorbia silenifolia aka Euphorbia Silenifolia

Euphorbia silenifolia is a small herb from South Africa. It is a succulent and lives for more than one year. It belongs to Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family. Its range runs from the Western Cape east to Port Alfred. It also grows in the northern Cape Peninsula. It grows in fynbos and Albany Thicket, not desert-like Karoo sites. Wild plants grow on dry, stony hills. They also grow on sandy or clay slopes. Some grow on dunes near Port Elizabeth.

This species grows in winter, then rests out of sight in summer. Its leaves start to emerge in autumn. The plant reaches about 0.5 feet (0.15 metres) tall. A thick, dark brown tuber lies beneath the soil. This root ranges from oval to spindle-like in shape. It sometimes has a tapered end. The root joins stems beneath the soil that bear leaves and flowers. Each plant has one stem or up to three branches. In the wild, their tips sit at ground level.

The leaves form a low tuft and spread across the ground. Each blade can reach 0.33 feet (0.10 metres) long. The narrow leaves taper toward the base and have smooth edges. Their tops are dark grey-green, at times with a blue cast. Their lower sides are paler. Both sides lack hairs. Leaf tips may be blunt or pointed, with a slight fold. The leaves fall as the plant starts its summer rest.

Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Greenish-yellow cyathia gather near the leaf tuft's centre. These small flower structures form cups with hairy surfaces. Each has five dark glands that make nectar. They range from purple-brown to blackish-brown. Flower stalks rise from the leaf axils, where leaves join stems. The stalks bear branched groups of flowers. The source records blooms in May and June, during South Africa's winter. The hairy fruit capsules have three angles but are almost round. They hold olive-brown seeds with a rough, net-like surface.

Growers often raise the stems from below the soil to above it. This shows their shape and helps keep them from getting waterlogged. The swollen base gives the plant its distinct form for display. Parts of its wild range get more rain than the Karoo. This does not tell us how often to water garden plants. The supplied species account gives no frost limits or pest guidance. It gives no evidence on food use or toxicity for this species.