Editing Euphorbia mellifera

{{short description|Species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Euphorbia mellifera k1.jpg
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|status_ref = <ref>{{cite book |title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 - Euphorbia mellifera |last1=Rivers |first1=M.C. |last2=Fernandes |first2=F. |last3=da Silva Menezes de Sequeira |first3=M. |date=2017 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T102818634A102818638.en}}.</ref>
|genus = Euphorbia
|species = mellifera
|authority = [[William Aiton|Aiton]]
|synonyms =
*''Euphorbia longifolia'' <small>Lam.</small>
*''Euphorbia longifolia'' var. ''canariensis'' <small>(Boiss.) Oudejans</small>	
*''Euphorbia mellifera'' var. ''canariensis'' <small>Boiss.</small>
*''Kobiosis mellifera'' <small>(Aiton) Raf.</small>
*''Tithymalus melliferus'' <small>(Aiton) Moench</small>
}}

'''''Euphorbia mellifera''''', the '''Canary spurge'''<ref name=BSBI07>{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=17 October 2014 }}</ref> or '''honey spurge''',<ref>[http://www.botanical-dermatology-database.info/BotDermFolder/EUPHORBIACEAE.html#EuphorbiaMellifera ''Euphorbia mellifera''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730081947/https://www.botanical-dermatology-database.info/BotDermFolder/EUPH-9.html#EuphorbiaMellifera |date=30 July 2021 }} in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database</ref> is a [[species]] of [[flowering plant]] in the spurge [[family (biology)|family]] Euphorbiaceae, [[native plant|native]] to [[Madeira]] and the [[Canary Islands]].<ref name=FloraCan>{{cite web |title=Flora de Canarias: ''Euphorbia_mellifera'' |url=http://www.floradecanarias.com/euphorbia_mellifera.html |access-date=5 March 2017 |archive-date=5 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105052944/http://www.floradecanarias.com/euphorbia_mellifera.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Bramwell>{{cite book |last1=Bramwell |first1=D. |last2=Bramwell |first2=Z. |year=2001 |title=Wild flowers of the Canary Islands |publisher=Editorial Rueda |location=Madrid, Spain |isbn=978-84-7207-129-2}}</ref> It is an [[evergreen]] [[shrub]] or tree growing to {{convert|2.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall and broad,<ref name = RHSPF/> with narrow leaves up to {{convert|20|cm|0|abbr=on}} long. In spring it produces brown, honey-scented flowers.<ref name=RHSAZ>{{cite book |title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants |year=2008 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |location=United Kingdom |isbn=978-1405332965 |pages=1136}}</ref>

The Latin [[Binomial nomenclature|specific epithet]] ''mellifera'' means "producing honey".<ref name=RHSLG>{{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Lorraine |title=RHS Latin for gardeners |year=2012 |publisher=Mitchell Beazley |location=United Kingdom |isbn=9781845337315 |pages=224}}</ref>

It has gained the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]].<ref name = RHSPF>{{cite web |title=Euphorbia mellifera |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/7071/Euphorbia-mellifera/Details |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-date=26 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626123228/https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/7071/Euphorbia-mellifera/Details |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf |title=AGM Plants - Ornamental |date=July 2017 |page=38 |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=26 February 2018 |archive-date=5 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180412/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>  ''Euphorbia'' × ''pasteurii'' is listed<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wcsp.science.kew.org/namedetail.do?name_id=244833 |title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families - ''Euphorbia'' × ''pasteurii'' |publisher=Kew Science |access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref> as a [[hybrid (biology)#In plants|hybrid]] between ''E. mellifera'' and [[Euphorbia stygiana|''E. stygiana'']]. The [[cultivar]]s 'Phrampton Phatty',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/299328/i-Euphorbia-i-×-i-pasteurii-i-Phrampton-Phatty/Details |title=RHS Plantfinder - ''Euphorbia'' × ''pasteurii'' 'Phrampton Phatty' |access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref> 'Roundway Titan'<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/236572/i-Euphorbia-i-×-i-pasteurii-i-Roundway-Titan/Details |title=RHS Plantfinder - ''Euphorbia'' × ''pasteurii'' 'Roundway Titan' |access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref>  and 'John Phillips'<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/227876/i-Euphorbia-i-×-i-pasteurii-i-John-Phillips/Details |title=RHS Plantfinder - ''Euphorbia'' × ''pasteurii'' 'John Phillips' |access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref>  have received the RHS AGM.

Like all euphorbias, this plant contains a milky-white sap, which oozes out of the stems when cut.  This can be a skin irritant and is very harmful to the eyes. Gloves should be worn when pruning,

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons|position=left}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3303390}}

[[Category:Euphorbia|mellifera]]
[[Category:Flora of the Canary Islands]]
[[Category:Flora of Madeira]]
[[Category:Endemic flora of Macaronesia]]


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