Tree identification

[postoak]

Can someone provide me with a name for the tree that looks like a bowl stuck on top of a stem that I saw in the Eastern Cape? I thought my PH said it was an Umglongo tree, but I can't find any reference to such a thing. It looked like it might be a member of either the cactus family or some type of succulent.

 

[postoak]

You can see them in this photo:

View attachment 20550

 

[spike.t]

poastoak there are only 3 types of tree , shade trees, firewood trees and bait trees ....:tongue::biggrin2:

 

[Bobpuckett]

Postoak I can't see you picture on this end can you see it on your post if not you may have to reload it. Bob

 

[postoak]

I see it Bob. But I'll load it again below.

View attachment 20551

 

[postoak]

Some further research indicates it is some sort of Euphorbia tree.

 

[shakari]

I don't see it either but if it looks like a cactus it's almost certainly a Euphorbia of some sort and the most common is probably the Euphorbia Ingens. Common name is giant candelabra tree.

FWIW, the sap of all the euphorbias is a white milky fluid and is nasty as hell. you can use it to burn warts off and a branch thrown into a waterhole will stun all the fish within a few minutes and you can just wade in & pick 'em up.

It also has no use for firewood, carving or fodder etc which is why you see them growing around native areas where all the other trees have been cut down and they've created a virtual desert, - I guess the fact that they survive those conditions just goes to show how hardy these trees are

Oh and I've also noticed it's VERY common for them to be growing so close to another (non euphorbia) tree they're often touching each other....... I've no proof of why this happens but suspect it must be something to do with bird droppings and wouldn't be in the least surprised if the euphorbia roots produce extra nitrogen or similar that encourages growth.

Euphorbia ingens

 

[postoak]

I'm not sure if that is it. I copied the photo to photobucket so trying looking again below.

What's with not being able to point at photos in photobucket here? Everything I tried came back with "invalid file" or "invalid file extension".

Anyway, try looking here:

Weird East Cape SA Trees - Hunting, Bowhunting, Fishing Photos and Videos

 

[postoak]

Ha! I finally gave up on the insert image function and just copied and pasted the link directly here.

 

[shakari]

Looks like Euphorbia to me but impossible to say if it Ingens or other from that pic.

I have a buddy who's a real fundi on succulents so will ask him to check this thread out.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I'm with Steve.
Euphorbia
Your pick after that:
1. Confinalis
2. Cooperi
3. Evansii

 

[shakari]

Just had a reply from my buddy who is a REAL fundi on African succulents & he says:

"It could be E curvirama, but that is a very localised specie, or E grandidens, or E triangularis, or the most likely, E tetrogona. The IsiXhosa name for all of them is umhlontlo"

 

[postoak]

Thanks to all. It does look most like Euphorbia tetragona and "umhlontlo" is close enough to "umglongo" to make sense.

 

[BRICKBURN]

There you go.