Euphorbia virosa

The name of this species derives from the Latin and literally means "poisonous", referring to the latex contained within the stem, which even in ancient times was used by native populations to poison the tips of arrows during hunting; in nature the toxic latex instead allows the plant to defend itself from animals that could otherwise feed on it. It is perhaps the succulent that most of all resembles a cactus in its appearance: it has a columnar stem that in cultivation does not reach imposing dimensions, while in nature it becomes a huge bush branched at the base. The body, of a wonderful emerald green streaked with lighter green, is made up of various flat ribs, along the edges of which long and robust multidirectional spines protrude, strongly pointed, which create a sort of continuous line along the margin, as if it were spectacularly designed. The quills have a red-burgundy hue when they are young, and then become gray-whitish when ripe, generating a chromatic effect of strong visual impact within the same specimen.