Family: Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia officinarum subsp. Echinus (tikiwt) is a succulent shrub native to Morocco. This plant is sometimes sold as a potted plant at garden outlets. A good point to note about this plant is that it has caustic and toxic latex, as well as very sharp spines, so it should be handled with great care. This plant has not been documented as naturalized in any Hawaiian Islands to date.
High Risk Traits:
- Grows, and could spread, in arid tropical climates
- Other Euphorbia species are invasive
- Spiny branches
- Unpalatable to browsing/grazing animals
- Caustic and toxic latex
- Reproduces by seeds
- Dispersed by explosively dehiscent capsules
- Gaps in biological and ecological information may reduce accuracy of risk prediction
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of invasiveness or naturalization, but limited evidence of widespread introduction outside native range
- Grows best in high light (dense shade may limit ability to spread)
- Not reported to spread vegetatively