Tortolho (Euphorbia tuckeyana)

Shrub, up to 3 m tall, though it does not usually exceed 1.5 m. Highly branched, leaves arranged in apical rosettes, narrow, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, up to 6 cm long. Flowers are yellow, arranged in small umbels. This native Euphorbia is found throughout the islands except for Maio, though it is locally abundant in Santo Antão, São Nicolau and Fogo. It grows from 70-2,500 m, but most populations are found above 300 m, in semi-arid, subhumid and humid habitats. The species is threatened by felling and agricultural development, but fortunately well-preserved populations of some significance still survive, particularly on rocky outcrops and peaks. Interestingly, the the caterpillars of certain moths of the genus Hyles, belonging to the family Sphingidae, feed off the leaves and leave the plant looking rather bare.