#PENCIL STICK CACTUS SKIN#

^ van den Bosch C, Griffin BB, Gazembe B, Dziweni C, Kadzamira L (1993).

^ (in Malay) Tumbuhan-tumbuhan perubatan herba, P.13.

Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Usable crops of temperate latitudes, subtropics and tropics.

^ Wolfgang Franke: Agricultural crops.

^ 'Man hospitalized after encounter with pencil cactus plant'.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ^ a b ' Euphorbia tirucalli L.' Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).It has also been used in the production of rubber, but neither have been very successful. In the 1980s the Brazilian national petroleum company Petrobras began experiments based on these ideas. Calvin estimated that 10 to 50 barrels of oil per acre was achievable. tirucalli to grow on land that is not suitable for most other crops. This usage is particularly appealing because of the ability of E. This led chemist Melvin Calvin to propose the exploitation of E. Euphorbia tirucalli has also been associated with Burkitt's lymphoma and is thought to be a cofactor of the disease rather than a treatment. Įuphorbia tirucalli has been promoted as an anticancer agent, but research shows that it suppresses the immune system, promotes tumor growth, and leads to the development of certain types of cancer. Attempts have been made to use it to treat cancer, excrescence, tumors, warts, asthma, cough, earache, neuralgia, rheumatism, and toothaches in countries including Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

It is suggested to wear eye protection gear and gloves for handling the plant.Įuphorbia tirucalli is used as alternative medicine in many cultures. If ingested, it can cause burns to the mouth, lips and tongue.

#PENCIL STICK CACTUS SKIN#

Skin contact causes severe irritation, redness and a burning sensation. Exposure to it can cause temporary blindness. tirucalli is extremely irritating to the skin and mucosa and is toxic. It is well known in Sri Lanka where it is called Kalli in Tamil, as mentioned in the Akananuru by the Sri Lankan Tamil poet Eelattu Poothanthevanar and in Sinhala: වැරදි නවහන්දි, ගස් නවහන්දි Weradi Navahandi or Gass Nawahandi. It grows in dry areas, especially the savanna, and is often used to feed cattle or as hedging. It may also be native in other parts of the continent as well as some surrounding islands and the Arabian peninsula and has been introduced to many other tropical regions, such as Brazil, India, Vietnam, the Philippines and Ghana. It has a wide distribution in Africa in black clay soils, being prominently present in northeastern, central and southern Africa. The yellow flowers are at the ends of the branches. It contains a milky, toxic and corrosive sap. The oval leaves are 1 to 2.5 centimetres (0.39 to 0.98 in) long and about 3 to 4 millimetres (0.12 to 0.16 in) wide they usually fall off early. It has a cylindrical and fleshy stem with fragile succulent twigs that are 7 millimetres (0.28 in) thick, often produced in whorls, longitudinally, finely striated. The pencil tree is a shrub or small tree with pencil-thick, green, smooth, succulent branches that reaches heights of up to 7 metres (23 ft).

Pencil stick cactus