Gender of Umbrella like Euphorbia

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kohinoor
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Gender of Umbrella like Euphorbia

Post by kohinoor »

Euphorbia hedyotoides E.bongolavensis E.mahabobokensis
These are Umbrella like Euphorbia with unique branch pattern.

E.hedyotoides was my first succulent plant.When i find out my hedyotoides change gender i was utterly amazed.

After several year of cultivation and discuss with other Euphorbia lover. I come to a conclusion:
hedyotoides is monoecious plant fuction as dioecious.

One plant can grow male and female flower.But they only grow one sex at one time.
If they already flowering male flower, no female flower will produce.

This conclusion can be easily test by having alot of cutling and let them grow freely. They will produce fruit hence prove this point. Or one may carefully observe flower,first batch of flower will be male second batch is female.

The plot twist here is that the literature i found cite hedyotoides as dioecious.

Ref:
1.https://www.flickr.com/photos/xenoflor/4317574772/
2.The growth-form of Euphorbia hedyotoides N. E. Br. (syn. E. decariana Croiz.)

Which is clearly not what i seen on my own plant.

I start to think maybe these literature about E.mahabobokensis is wrong too.
I heard a lot of rumor about self-fertile E.mahabobokensis. Maybe they are monoecious after all.
My mahabobokensis by fare only bear male flower. But from my experience of hedyotoides i know they only grow male flower is nutrition lv is not enough.

Trying to figure how to make them bear female (if they can) wish me luck !
From taiwan. hot humid subtropical island.
Pachypodium grow like weed here.
(not really, but u get the idea hot sunny rainy)
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kohinoor
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Re: Gender of Umbrella like Euphorbia

Post by kohinoor »

After more then a decade my E.mahabobokensis has his/her female flower.

It is strongly seasonal. lost all of leaf in November and start produce male flower in December.
Then i forget it for a while. But last day when i surveying my collection i saw it produce female flower.
It's the first time i ever seen in a decade.

I wonder it's because the season? because the year? or just because it finally reach adulthood.
I am looking forward to answer these question.

Image
From taiwan. hot humid subtropical island.
Pachypodium grow like weed here.
(not really, but u get the idea hot sunny rainy)
stevepeters
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Re: Gender of Umbrella like Euphorbia

Post by stevepeters »

Hi, that's very interesting. I did some googling and there's quite a lot of information that can be found. I even learnt a new word - andromonoecy. There are even posts on this forum, e.g. https://forum.bcss.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=36870

Regards, Steve
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