Pedilanthus is distinguished from other
Euphorbia by its inflorescence, a spurred
cyathia with fused
styles and with it glands hidden within a nectar spur inspiring the common names of slipper spurge, slipper flower or slipper plant. Unlike other
Euphorbia, members of this clade are mostly
hummingbird pollinated. Species of this clade occupy a remarkably wide range of
habitats and life forms. Most of them, like
E. tithymaloides, are small leafy
shrubs found in the
tropical dry forests of
Mexico and the
Caribbean.
E. calcarata is a small woody
tree of the tropical dry forests,
E. cymbifera and
E. lomelii are on the contrary almost leafless stem
succulents. '''' is found in Mexico's
moist forests. Cacho et al. divide the clade into four subclades: a
xeric subclade, with succulent shrubs of tropical deciduous forest, scrub or desert; a
mesic subclade which includes all five species that inhabit mesic forests except
E. finkii which forms its own subclade; and
E. personata and
E. tithymaloides with its subspecies which to together make up the fourth subclade.
Pedianthus are widely cultivated as a
ornamental plants as hedges and in gardens in the tropics and subtropics. ==Synonyms==