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Can anyone take a stab at describing the differences of the three Euphorbias; medusea, flanaganii and gorgonis? The specimen that I have was labeled Euphorbia caput-medusea. Three photos if it are below. Before I get one of the other two species I want to be sure that mine was correctly labeled and that the three "species" are not really the same beast.







Thanks,
Nathan

I'll take a stab. A quick glance tells me that your plant is flanaganii. I have two, the second of which I thought (and was labelled) caput-medusae. First of all http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/41967 ... 600Q85.jpg is a picture of a caput-medusae.

I had the same problem identifying these species as well. Some differences I've noted:

1. flanaganii limbs are very thin compared to the other two. flanaganii limbs are also a lot 'smoother', it doesn't have as much 'tubercle looking' things on the limbs. On the gorgonis you can see lots of white dots. There are even more on the caput-medusae.

2. flanaganii flowers near the main stem, whilst caput-medusae flowers from the ends of the limbs. I'm not sure about gorgonis.

I suppose there are variations in each species, however, my descriptions have proven to be consistent based on experience.

I hope this helps. After all this time I still haven't got a caput-medusae, they seem to be really rare. Whereas flanaganii are everywhere, gorgonis is somewhere in the middle.

Euphorbia gorgonis

If you expose your plant to more sun, slowly, you'll get less lanky limbs. The colour will also turn browner, but I think stronger and shorter limbs are more aesthetically pleasing.

Hallo, Isometric,
if you are an expert on "polyps": please what is this? I got it as an E.inermis. Since it spent last summer on the balcony, it got the inner short tentacles.





Thanks!
Ruth

Nathan,

I agree with Isometric...I would (tentatively) label your plant E. flanaganii.

See also my reply in "the other" forum The pics there are from The Euphorbia Journal, and should be correct, in contrast to the many mislabeled pics on the net.

Also keep in mind that E. gorgonis is much smaller than the other two, and shouldn't get over 6" wide (including branches) if grown under good conditions.

Cheers,
-R

Nathan,
Almost forgot...here is a pic of my E. caput-medusae (which I'm pretty sure is correctly identified), in a 7" pot. It unfortunately got a bit etiolated over the summer.




-R

To nachtkrabb: I'm certainly no expert in... 'polyps'. What are they again? I was quite familiar with the differences between flanaganii and caput-medusae, because I was on the hunt for caput-medusae and kept finding flanaganii instead. However, yours is a nice looking plant, I want one now. It seems to match other pictures labelled E inermis.

The "trouble" with this forum is:

Isometric wrote:... However, yours is a nice looking plant, I want one now...

A lot of good information came out of this request and it is all appreciated. Another plant arrived today and it was sold to me as Euphorbia gorgonis. The photo is below. Please let me know if you think it might actually be one. It definitely has a different look about it, but it too could use more sunlight to be at its best.

E. gorgonis (?) in 4.5" pot.



When decent outside weather once again appears in our region the two medusiod Euphorbias will be acclimated back into the sun and hopefully become more robust plants. As things are now though, they will have to settle for all day in a south facing sunroom to gather what photons come their way.

Thanks again for all the great information.
Nathan

I'm not familiar with gorgonis, but it certainly looks like a slightly etiolated version of my gorgonis.

I forgot to mention that there is a long....I mean long! article in the latest Euphorbia World, about E. gorgonis.

As you know, that could be just about anything........

This is just a guess..... E. aff. gorgonis GM 211.

-R

Hi Lancer,
is this Euphorbia World a print product or something on the internet? I am curious (again...) but live in Germany. An American paper might not be available here.
Thanks
Ruth

Euphorbia world is the magazine of the IES (International Euphorbia society), members recieve it about 4 times a year, anywhere in the world.

lancer99 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:37 am Nathan,
Almost forgot...here is a pic of my E. caput-medusae (which I'm pretty sure is correctly identified), in a 7" pot. It unfortunately got a bit etiolated over the summer.




-R

where did you get this from?