Euphorbia kamponii Rauh & Petignat (1995)
British Cactus & Succulent Society Journal vol.13(4) page; 127-133

This striking new coralliform Euhorbia species was discovered by Hermann Petignat in deciduous forest near Mora-Mora, north of Toliara on the island of Madagscar. It is truly amazing that a new species can still be discovered in this region so very rich in coralliform Euphorbia species. Other coralliform species growing in the same area are E.cedrorum, E.fiherenensis, E.leucodendron and E. stenoclada ssp. Stenoclada. The young flexuous, zigzag, white felty branches and the large, hard, densely pubescent make E. kamponii easy to recognize.

Plants trees, 3m tall; trunk thick, 20 cm in diameter; bark thick, gray-brown, peeling in pieces. Branches terete, 3-5 mn thick, yellow-brown hairy towards apex. Leaves soon deciduous, ovate,small, about 1 cm long, 5-7 mm wide, nearly glabous above, densely white pubescent below; stipules very small, scarcely visible. Inflorescences subterminal dichasia; cyathophylls inconspicuous, erect, orbicular, margin dentate. Cyathia globular, 2 x 2 mm, pubescent; glands small, purple-red; involucral bracts erect, pubescent. Male cyathia is axils of densely brown – pubescent bracts; bracteoles fimbriate, white. Female cyathia pubescent; ovary shortly pedunculate; style shortly connate, bifid, purple-red, hairy below. Capsules globular, 8 mm in diameter, white or brown pubescent.

The growth habit is nearly the same monopodial form as in Euphorbia tirucalli. Older branches fall off leaving the bare trunk with a crown above. Like other coralliform Euphorbia species, E.kamponii is also dioecious with unisexual cyathia.

The species is dedicated to Mr. Kampon Tansacha of Bangkok, Thailand, a passionate landscape architect and owner of an interesting botanic garden, rich in palms and succulents.

Note ; ( From Succulents and Xerophytic Plants of Madagascar; Volume Two by Werner Rauh, 1998 : page 101…)