A tree-like euphorbia that grows into a bush by sprouting lots of slim, smooth, plump "sticks"—all shooting straight up. Botanically, this is a variation of E. alluaudii ssp.alluaudii , with the main difference being stem thickness: while alluaudii has stems about 1.5 cm thick, oncoclada's can reach 2.5 cm. The name "oncoclada" (probably) comes from Greek: "onco-" meaning thick, and "clada" meaning branch. This species is endemic to southern Madagascar, found only in the Tulear–Saint Augustin region and on rocky highland inselbergs. There, it thickens its trunk and branches out towards the top, so from a distance, its silhouette can look just like an ordinary tree.

When it comes to tree-like euphorbias, people often compare it to the " E. tirucalli ", but they're not close relatives—they just happen to look alike. In terms of growth habit, E. tirucalli tends to have more wild, spreading branches that pop up even from the base, while oncoclada grows more vertically and often drops its lower branches, resulting in a tidier shape. " E. leucodendron " is also part of the alluaudii family.

Sometimes you’ll spot plants at markets with oddly flat stems, but the original description didn’t mention this detail and the origin is unclear. It’s possible these are forms where the cresting trait ((called fasciation)) shows slightly in the form of a partial reversion—it’s a bit of a mystery.

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  1,100JPY