Euphorbia kamerunica is a flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It is distributed across the Sahel of Africa, including in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Ethiopia.Blench, Roger. 2017. Is fencing a solution to reducing herder-farmer conflict in Nigeria?. Field investigations on pastoralist-farmers crises areas and enhancement of MISEREOR’s partnersinterventions in Nigeria, Phase 3. Draft prepared for ISEREOR/JDPs.
Common names In Nigeria, it is commonly called "cactus", although it is not a true cactus.
It is called in the Berom language.
Uses Fencing Euphorbia kamerunica is used as fencing in central Nigeria. The spines are dangerous to animals, and its toxic milky sap discourages large animals from getting in or out. Jatropha curcas and Newbouldia laevis are also used as fencing in Nigeria. Roger Blench (2017) has also proposed Commiphora africana, Erythrina abyssinica, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, and Caesalpinia bonduc as possible options for plant-based fencing in Nigeria.
Poison arrows The Fali people living near Garoua, northern Cameroon use the poisonous sap of Euphorbia kamerunica to make poison arrows.Raymond Castagnou, Roland Baudrimont et Jean Gauthier, « Recherches sur un poison de flèches utilisé par les Fali Tinguelin du Nord-Cameroun », Comptes-rendus de l'Académie des sciences, Paris, vol. 260, 5 avril 1965, p. 4109-4111.
Musical instruments It is called yěp in the Berom language. The Berom people use it to make a scraper or guiro-like instrument called gwák or gwàshák.Blench, Roger. 2021. The musical instruments of the Berom of Central Nigeria. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
See also Euphorbia balsamifera
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