Draft:Euphorbia umbellata

Euphorbia umbellata, commonly known as the African Milk Bush, is an evergreen succulent shrub. It is native to East tropical Africa, specifically Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, eastern DR Congo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia .It has been introduced to areas such as India, Bangladesh, Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico, Brasil, Hawaii, Cuba, America, Australia, and Nicaragua as an ornamental and for cultivation.

Description
Euphorbia umbellata typically grows to be about 5 meters tall, but can occasionally grow to 10 meters. . The plant has a small number of thick erect branches. The stems of this plant are succulent and the branchlets are leafy and 3 to 10 mm thick. The leaves are typically 5 to 17 cm long, 2 to 6 cm wide, in the shape of a narrow or stretch out oval, with a blunt tip. The bases of the leaves are decurrent and they join with the Petioles. The bottom of the leaf of E. umbellata is green or can sometimes be reddish. When E. umbellata blooms, the flowers are in groups clustered together that are from 1.5 to 1 cm long. The flowers can be red or green. The stems holding the flowers split into two and can be up to 5 cm long. The size of the flower itself is about 4 mm wide.

Habitat
E. umbellata usually grows in open woodlands that have rocky slopes. The plant is typically found at 500-1800 meters of elevation. E. umbellata is cultivated in some areas and can escape cultivation and thrive in areas of disturbed sites, scrubland, and riparian habitats.

Conservation
E. umbellata is not under any threats of extinction or endangerment as of 2024. The plant is considered invasive in places several places, such as India and Cuba.