View source for Euphorbiaceae

{{Taxobox
| name = Spurge family
| image =Starr_020803-0119_Aleurites_moluccana.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = [[Candlenut tree]] (''Aleurites moluccana'')
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Malpighiales]]
| familia = '''Euphorbiaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Subfamily|Subfamilies]]
| subdivision = 
*[[Acalyphoideae]]
*[[Crotonoideae]]
*[[Euphorbioideae]]
For a detailed taxonomy to the genus level, see <br>'''[[Taxonomy of the Euphorbiaceae]]'''.
}}

The '''[[Spurge]] family''' ('''Euphorbiaceae''') is a large family of [[flowering plant]]s with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are [[herb]]s, but some, especially in the [[tropics]], are also [[shrub]]s or [[tree]]s. Some are [[succulent]] and resemble [[cactus|cacti]].

This family occurs mainly in the tropics, with the majority of the species in the [[Indomalaya ecozone|Indo-Malayan]] region and tropical [[Americas|America]] a good second. There is a large variety in tropical Africa, but it is not as abundant or varied as in these two other tropical regions. However, ''Euphorbia'' also has many [[species]] in non-tropical areas such as the [[Mediterranean Basin]], the [[Middle East]], [[South Africa]], and southern [[USA]].

The [[Leaf|leaves]] are alternate, seldom opposite, with [[stipule]]s. They are mainly simple, but where compound, are always palmate, never pinnate. Stipules may be reduced to hairs, glands, or spines, or in succulent species are sometimes absent. 

The radially symmetrical [[flower]]s are unisexual, with the male and the female flowers usually occurring on the same plant. As can be expected from such a large family, there is a wide variety in the structure of the flowers. They can be [[Plant sexuality|monoecious]] or [[Plant sexuality|dioecious]]. The [[stamen]]s (the male organs) can number from 1 to 10 (or even more). The female flowers are hypogynous, that is, with a superior [[ovary (plants)|ovary]].

[[Image:E baylissii ies.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Cyathia of a ''Euphorbia'']]
The genera in tribe [[Euphorbieae]], subtribe [[Euphorbiinae]] (''[[Euphorbia]]'' and close relatives) show a highly specialized form of [[pseudanthium]] ("false flower" made up of several true flowers) called a '''[[cyathium]]'''. This is usually a small cup-like [[involucre]] consisting of fused together bracts and peripheral nectary glands, surrounding a ring of male flowers, each a single [[stamen]]. In the middle of the cyathium stands a female flower: a single [[Carpel|pistil]] with branched stigmas. This whole arrangement resembles a single flower.

The [[fruit]] is usually a [[schizocarp]], sometimes a [[drupe]]. A typical schizocarp is the '''regma''', a capsular fruit with three or more cells, each of which splits open at maturity into separate parts and then breaks away explosively, scattering the small seeds.

The family contains a large variety of [[phytotoxin]]s (toxic substances produced by plants), mainly [[Terpene|diterpene]] [[ester]]s, [[alkaloid]]s,  [[glycoside]]s, and [[ricin]]-type [[toxin]]s. 

A milky [[Sap (plant)|sap]] or [[latex]] is a characteristic of the subfamilies [[Euphorbioideae]] and [[Crotonoideae]].  This milky sap is [[poison]]ous in the Euphorbioideae, but innocuous in the Crotonoideae. '''White mangrove''' (''[[Excoecaria]] agallocha''), or '''Blind-Your-Eye Mangrove''' sap causes blistering on contact and temporary blindness if it contacts the eyes.  Other common names are '''Milky Mangrove''', '''Buta Buta''' ([[Malay language|Malay]]), '''Gewa''' ([[Bengali Language|Bangladesh]]). The sap of [[spurge]] was used as a [[laxative]].

Recent molecular studies have shown that the enigmatic family [[Rafflesiaceae]], which was only recently recognized to belong to order [[Malpighiales]], is derived from within Euphorbiaceae (Davis et al. 2007).

== Uses ==
A number of plants of the Spurge family are of considerable economic importance. Prominent plants include [[Cassava]] (''Manihot esculenta''), [[Castor oil plant]] (''Ricinus communis''), Barbados nut (''[[Jatropha curcas]]''), and the [[Para rubber tree]] (''Hevea brasiliensis'').
Many are grown as [[ornamental plant]]s, such as Poinsettia (''[[Euphorbia pulcherrima]]'').  Leafy spurge (''[[Euphorbia esula]]'') and [[Chinese tallow]] (''Sapium sebiferum'') are [[Invasive species|invasive]] weeds in North America.
In medicine, some species of Euphorbiaceae proved effective against genital [[herpes]] (HSV-2). <ref>LA Betancur-Galvis; GE Morales; JE Forero & J Roldan (2002), "Cytotoxic and Antiviral Activities of Colombian Medicinal Plant Extracts of the Euphorbia genus", ''Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz'', Vol. 97, No. 4, 2002, pp. 541-546. Retrieved through Bioline International (keywords: herpes simplex - Bioline Code: oc02103) </ref>

== Vulnerability ==
Some species, despite their medicinal benefits, are facing the risk of becoming extinct. These species include the ''Euphorbia'' species ''[[Euphorbia appariciana|E.&nbsp;appariciana]]'', ''[[Euphorbia attastoma|E.&nbsp;attastoma]]'', ''[[Euphorbia crossadenia|E.&nbsp;crossadenia]]'' and ''[[Euphorbia gymnoclada|E.&nbsp;gymnoclada]]''.<ref>[http://names.cria.org.br/index?lang=en&genus=Euphorbia&search_cria=true&search_others=true Names.cria.org.br]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Deutzianthus]]

== References ==
{{commonscat}}
* [http://public.fotki.com/plumo/euphorbia/ Marc Altenloh collection (Photos)]
* Charles C. Davis,  Maribeth Latvis,  Daniel L. Nickrent,  Kenneth J. Wurdack,  David A. Baum. 2007. Floral gigantism in Rafflesiaceae. Science Express, published online January 11, 2007 (online abstract [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1135260 here]).
* [[International Euphorbia Society]]
* [http://www.http://www.cssainc.org/ Cactus and Succulent Society of America]
* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/family.pl?433 Data from GRIN Taxonomy]
* [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/Euphorbi.htm Euphorbiaceae] in [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/ L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval.] http://delta-intkey.com
<references/>

[[Category:Malpighiales families]]
[[Category:Euphorbiaceae| ]]
[[Category:Poisonous plants]]

[[ar:لبنية]]
[[az:Südləyən (fəsilə)]]
[[bg:Млечкови]]
[[ca:Euforbiàcia]]
[[cs:Pryšcovité]]
[[da:Vortemælk-familien]]
[[de:Wolfsmilchgewächse]]
[[et:Piimalillelised]]
[[es:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[eo:Eŭforbiacoj]]
[[fa:تیره فرفریون]]
[[fr:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[ko:대극과]]
[[hsb:Mlóčenjowe rostliny]]
[[id:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[it:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[he:חלבלוביים]]
[[jv:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[ka:რძიანასებრნი]]
[[la:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[lt:Karpažoliniai]]
[[hu:Kutyatejfélék]]
[[mk:Млечки]]
[[nl:Wolfsmelkfamilie]]
[[ja:トウダイグサ科]]
[[no:Vortemelkfamilien]]
[[pl:Wilczomleczowate]]
[[pt:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[ro:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[qu:Wachanqa yura rikch'aq ayllu]]
[[ru:Молочайные]]
[[simple:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[sr:Euphorbiaceae]]
[[fi:Tyräkkikasvit]]
[[sv:Törelväxter]]
[[te:యుఫోర్బియేసి]]
[[tr:Sütleğengiller]]
[[uk:Молочайні]]
[[vi:Họ Đại kích]]
[[zh:大戟科]]
[[Category:2Fix]]