Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Chadura Kalli


CHADURA KALLI (Euphorbia antiquorum) is a small tree, cactus like in appearance and has a rugged elegance about it. The stout triangular stems are green and jointed. The stipular spines are persistent, giving the plant an arrogant aloofness.
These plants hold sway in degraded Southern Tropical Deciduous Forests, falling under Champion and Seth's forest type, Euphorbia Scrub. Edaphic factors combined with excessive felling of tree growth and over grazing have reduced the deciduous forests to this scrub form, where Chadura Kalli naturally occurs.
Chadura Kalli is generally cultivated as a hedge plant and usually finds a place in the rockery part of a garden. It can also be kept as an indoor ornamental plant. It grows well when there is a layer of brick and charcoal pieces, on top of which sandy loam soil is spread. It needs no maintenance. Excess watering is to be avoided. Blue metal or pebbles can be spread around the feet of the stems to give it a natural look.
Genus Euphorbia is named after the physician to King Juba of Mauritania. It is a genus of 2,000 species of cosmopolitan distribution, differing enormously in habits and forms. All euphorbias give out poisonous, milky latex. The milk of Euphorbia antiquorum is taken as a purgative.

No comments: