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, EGL, 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.
