Annual herb to perennial shrub or tree, to c. 12 m high, glabrous. Leaves orbicular, mostly 10–40 cm long and wide, palmately 7–9-lobed; lobes lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, margins irregularly dentate; petiole 10–30 cm long. Panicles erect, to c. 15 cm long, loose; peduncles to 20 cm long; pedicels to 10 mm long, those of female flowers elongating in fruit. Sepals ovate, 6–8 mm long. Capsule ovoid, 8–20 mm long, 10–20 mm wide, 3-lobed, spiny; seeds subglobose, 9–17 mm diam., somewhat flattened, smooth, shiny, variously marked and coloured, toxic. Flowers mainly summer.
VVP, GipP, OtP, EGU, HSF, Strz. Naturalized all mainland States. Native to Africa. A widely grown ornamental that occasionally becomes naturalised in disturbed areas near habitation.
Source:
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Euphorbiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 55–82. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
