Plants and mushrooms
African milk bush
| Common name |
|
African milk bush |
| Botanical name |
|
Synadenium grantii |
| Other common names |
|
- |
| Family |
|
Euphorbiaceae |
| General description |
|
An ornamental shrub to 3m high. |
| Flowers |
|
The flowers are green to yellowish-green, mostly concealed by lance-shaped bracts that are purplish-green above and reddish-purple beneath. |
| Leaves |
|
The leaves are fleshy, spirally arranged, crowded towards the ends of stems, 7.5–10cm long and 2.5–4cm wide, dark green above and paler beneath, with a prominent midrib. |
| Fruit/Berries |
|
The fruit are absent in cultivation. |
| Other |
|
The sap is milky. |
| Symptoms |
|
The sap is extremely irritating to the skin, eyes and mouth. Skin contact can cause blisters. There is evidence of sap spraying during pruning, causing irritation to the face, eyelids, nostrils and lips. If swallowed, symptoms can include irritation of the mouth and throat, general discomfort and sometimes convulsions. Symptoms may also be delayed by several hours. |
| Toxicity category |
|
2, 3 |
| Warning |
|
Seek medical assistance for all ingestions and eye exposures. |
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