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Euphorbia damarana
Also called Damara Milkbush
Euphorbia damarana also known as Damara milk-bush and locally as melkbos is a species of flowering plant native to Namibia.
The plant is regarded as one of the most toxic plants in Namibia, but specific studies into its toxicity are not known. It has been reported that the toxic milky latex of the plant is capable of killing animals and humans except rhino and oryx who feed upon it. It has been reported that if you have an open wound and come into contact with the plant its poison could kill you. Another story implicated it in the deaths of 11 Oshiwambo-speaking miners at the Uis Tin Mine after consuming food cooked over a fire of Euphorbia damarana.
A noted use is to contaminate watering holes with the plant's latex to poison and catch game which drink from the watering hole. The plant's toxic latex is highly irritating to skin and mucous membranes.
Marble Canyon spurge · Abd Al Kuri Euphorbia · Euphorbia abdita · Euphorbia abdulghafooriana · Abram's Spurge · Desert Candle · Euphorbia acalyphoides · Greek Spiny Spurge · Euphorbia actinoclada · Pointed Sandmat · Euphorbia adenopoda · Miniature Saguaro
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Euphorbia damarana by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
