Habit: Euphorbia punicea grows as a succulent/fleshy shrub to small tree, up to 6 m in height (typically shorter). The leaves are arranged alternate/spiraled and clustered at branch tips, up to 25 cm in length, oblanceolate/linear, with an entire leaf margin and a mucronate/apiculate leaf apex. At the base of the petiole are short lived stipules. The vegetation produces a thick, milky sap.
The incomplete, imperfect, monoecious, actinomorphic, flowers are arranged in clusters of cyathia and occur on branch tips. The edges of the cyathia have 6 cup shaped yellow glands The cyathia have a staminate and carpellate phases. There are 2 bright red, ovate bracts below each cyathia.
There are 5 white/yellow elongate glands on the edge of the cyathia. There is no calyx or corolla. Staminate flowers are reduced to a single stamen. Carpellate flowers are reduced to a single superior carpel, each with 3 locules and numerous seeds. The fruit is a white, erect, glabrous capsule at maturity that splits along 3 suture lines.
Habitat: Euphorbia punicea grows in Human Altered environments (yards and gardens) in the Bahamas.
Distribution: Euphorbia punicea is NOT NATIVE to the Lucayan Archipelago. It is native to Jamaica.
Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Euphorbia punicea is not known to be used medicinally in the Bahamas.
Euphorbia punicea is in the landscaping/horticultural industry due to its showy red bracts.
All parts of the species are extremely toxic and should not be ingested!!