Introduction
The family Euphorbiaceae is well - represented in Saudi
Arabia. In general it consists of two groups of plants.
One group which includes the genus Euphorbia
contains milky juice in special tissue in their bodies. The
other group with plants like Ricinus or chrozophora does
not contain milky juice but have a watery sap. Fifteen
genera of this family have been recorded from Saudi
Arabia .The largest genus is the genus euphorbia. All
species of this genus is the very broad Arabic names,
the lubbaina because of their milky latex most often
present under some pressure in the lattici- ferous tissue
in the plant body. The latex of these plants contains
various biochemical compounds, some of which are
poisonous to various degrees or of medicinal
importance or of commercial use. The latex usually
protects these plants from browsing animals because
of its bitterness or poisonous nature. The euphorbia
species in Saudi Arabia fall into three or four broad
categories e.g. the low annual or perennial herbs, the
semi succulent or cactus-like succulent shrubs and the
succulent or non-succulent trees. The succulent tree
Euphorbias are often given the name candelabra trees.
Sikula (1981) recorded that Cypress spurge (Euphorbia
cyparissias L.), Marsh spurge (E. palustris L.), Broad
spurge (E. platyphyllos L.) , sun spurge (E. heliscopia
L.), wood spurge (E. amygdaloides L.), Hungarian
spurge (E. esula L.), petty spurge (E. peplus L.) and
dwarf spurge (E. exigua L.) were produced a poisonous
white latex. The latex was contained euphorbic acid