Crown-of-thorns

Description:

a woody, succulent species of Euphorbia native to Madagascar. The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once governor of Réunion, who introduced the species to France in 1821.[1] It is suspected that the species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times, and legend associates it with the crown of thorns worn by Jesus.[1

Habitat:

It is a succulent climbing shrub growing to 1.8m tall, with densely spiny stems, the straight, slender spines up to 3 cm long, which help it scramble over other plants. The leaves are found mainly on new growth,[1] and are obovate, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm broad. The flowers are small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, variably red, pink or white, up to 12 mm broad.[2] The sap is moderately poisonous. Wat Phrik in the Phitsanulok District of Phitsanulok Province, Thailand claims to be the home of the world's tallest Christ plant.