Family: Euphorbiaceae
Author: Morong
Bibliography: Ann. New York Acad. Sci. 7: 227 1893
Year: 1893
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Sapium
Vegetable: False
Observations: S. Mexico to Trop. America
Description
The Milktree, known scientifically as Sapium glandulosum, is a noteworthy member of the Euphorbiaceae family. This plant has a considerable presence extending from southern Mexico to tropical regions of America, where it thrives in its native habitat.
John Morong, the esteemed botanist, first described Sapium glandulosum in 1893, and his findings were recorded in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Volume 7, page 227. His meticulous observation contributed immensely to the botanical understanding and classification of the Milktree within scientific circles.
Characterized by its unique sap, which is reminiscent of milk, the tree has been aptly named “Milktree.” This latex exudate is a fascinating feature of the genus Sapium. The tree itself can contribute significantly to the ecosystem, as it often grows within a variety of forested environments, thereby supporting the biodiversity in those areas.
In the lush ecosystems where it proliferates, the Milktree plays a crucial role, not only in ecological balance but also possibly in local traditions and usages, although specifics on indigenous applications or additional botanical characteristics were not detailed in Morong’s initial documentation. The study and understanding of Sapium glandulosum continue to evolve, as botanists and ecologists delve deeper into the roles and properties of this intriguing species.
Common Names
Por: burra-leiteira, janaguba, seringarana
Eng: gumtree, milktree
En: Milktree, Gumtree
Pt: Burra leiteira, Janaguba, Seringarana, Burra-leiteira
Es: Yos., Lechillo, Yoe, Yos Yos
Synonyms
- Sapium claussenianum ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. lanceolatum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium moritzianum (Klotzsch)
- Sapium prunifolium (Klotzsch)
- Stillingia aucuparia (Oken)
- Excoecaria occidentalis (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. aucuparium (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. leptadenia (Müll.Arg.)
- Hippomane aucuparia (Crantz)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. oligoneurum ((K.Schum. & Pittier) Monach.)
- Sapium saltense ((O’Donell & Lourteig) Jabl.)
- Sapium aucuparium (Willd.)
- Sapium klotzschianum var. glaziovii (Lanj.)
- Excoecaria marginata f. major ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. hippomane ((G.Mey.) Müll.Arg.)
- Hippomane biglandulosa (L.)
- Sapium serratum ((Müll.Arg.) Klotzsch ex Baill.)
- Sapium poeppigii (Hemsl.)
- Excoecaria marginata var. spathulata ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium giganteum (Pittier)
- Sapium leptadenium ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. serratum (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. dracunculoides ((Baill.) Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. serrata ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Hippomane zeocca (L. ex B.D.Jacks.)
- Sapium aucuparium var. petiolare ((Müll.Arg.) Griseb.)
- Sapium naiguatense (Pittier)
- Sapium pittieri (Huber)
- Excoecaria marginata var. lanceolata ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium biglandulosum f. obovatum (Müll.Arg.)
- Hippomane fruticosa (Sessé & Moc.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. montevidensis ((Klotzsch ex Baill.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium submarginatum (Huber)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. aucuparia ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. petiolaris (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium marginatum var. grandifolium ((Müll.Arg.) Pax)
- Stillingia dracunculoides (Baill.)
- Sapium izabalense (Lundell)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. meyerianum (Müll.Arg.)
- Stillingia prunifolia ((Klotzsch) Baill.)
- Sapium muelleri (Hemsl.)
- Stillingia biglandulosa ((L.) Baill.)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. bogotense ((Huber) Monach.)
- Sapium punctatum (Klotzsch ex Pax)
- Sapium biglandulosum ((L.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium paranaense (Pax & K.Hoffm.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. glandulata ((Vell.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium lanceolatum ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Sapium aureum (H.Buek)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. intercedens (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium glandulatum ((Vell.) Pax)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa f. obovata ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium haematospermum var. saltense (O’Donell & Lourteig)
- Sapium aubletianum ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Excoecaria suberosa (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. clausseniana (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium taburu (Ule)
- Hippomane glandulosa (L.)
- Excoecaria marginata var. longifolia (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. moritziana ((Klotzsch) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium biglandulosum f. minus (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium subserratum (Klotzsch ex Pax)
- Excoecaria marginata var. conjungens (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. prunifolia ((Klotzsch) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium intercedens (Huber)
- Excoecaria obtusiloba ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium occidentale ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Sapium suberosum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium aucuparium var. hippomane (Griseb.)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. moritzianum ((Klotzsch) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium moaense (Alain)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. cuneatum ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Stillingia haematantha (Standl.)
- Stillingia hippomane ((G.Mey.) Baill.)
- Sapium cremostachyum (I.M.Johnst.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. grandifolia (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium schippii (Croizat)
- Sapium hippomane (G.Mey.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. klotzschiana ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. klotzschianum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium pohlianum (Klotzsch ex Pax)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa f. oblongata ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium paucistamineum (Pittier)
- Sapium obtusilobum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium klotzschianum ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Sapium marginatum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. sulciferum ((Pittier) Monach.)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. salicifolium ((Kunth) Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. cuneata (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium marginatum f. majus (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. aubletianum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium bogotense (Huber)
- Sapium biglandulosum f. oblongatum (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. salicifolia ((Kunth) Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria aerea ((Klotzsch ex Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria marginata var. grandifolia (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium integrifolium (Splitg. ex Lanj.)
- Stillingia marginata ((Müll.Arg.) Baill.)
- Sapium salicifolium (Kunth)
- Sapium hemsleyanum (Huber)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. pavonianum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium oligoneurum (K.Schum. & Pittier)
- Sapium marginatum var. lanceolatum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium itzanum (Lundell)
- Sapium sulciferum (Pittier)
- Sapium pycnostachys (K.Schum. ex Pax)
- Sapium biglandulosum var. hamatum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium montevidense (Klotzsch ex Baill.)
- Sapium jamaicense (Sw.)
- Sapium hamatum ((Müll.Arg.) Pax & K.Hoffm.)
- Sapium caribaeum (Urb.)
- Sapium aereum (Klotzsch ex Müll.Arg.)
- Omphalea glandulata (Vell.)
- Sapium albomarginatum (Pax & K.Hoffm.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. hamata ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium fendleri (Hemsl.)
- Sapiopsis cremostachys (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium marginatum var. spathulatum (Müll.Arg.)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. lanceolata ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium endlicherianum (Klotzsch ex Pax)
- Excoecaria marginata var. puberula (Griseb.)
- Sapium guaricense (Pittier)
- Sapium pavonianum ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Sapium obtusatum (Klotzsch ex Pax)
- Sapium fragile (Pax & K.Hoffm.)
- Sapium aucuparium var. moritzianum (Pittier)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. pavoniana ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium biglandulosum f. pavonianum (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium petiolare ((Müll.Arg.) Huber)
- Excoecaria biglandulosa var. aubletianum ((Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium alainianum (P.T.Li)
- Sapium marginatum var. conjungens ((Müll.Arg.) Pax)
- Sapium biglandulosum f. longifolium (Müll.Arg.)
- Sapium marginatum var. longifolium ((Müll.Arg.) Pax)
- Sapium ixiamasense (Jabl.)
Distribution
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Belize (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Honduras (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Venezuelan Antilles (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
Additional Images
Bark
Taken Jul 21, 2020 by Ronan Gamero (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O. Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2012 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Nov 4, 2021 by Adriana SINAC (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 22, 2020 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken May 9, 2021 by Leyn Castro-Vásquez (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 12, 2021 by Henrique Quadros (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 4, 2021 by Adriana SINAC (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 24, 2021 by Makoto Makoto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 4, 2021 by Adriana SINAC (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Nov 28, 2021 by JOSÉ FERNANDO RIBEIRO CARDOSO (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 30, 2019 by Barrios Pablo (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2012 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 19, 2019 by visiones (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 24, 2021 by Makoto Makoto (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Habit
Taken Jul 21, 2020 by Ronan Gamero (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Daniel H. Janzen (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2012 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Daniel H. Janzen (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2012 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Other
Taken May 8, 2009 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Sep 26, 2008 by AMAP Lab – Guyane 2022 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 26, 2008 by AMAP Lab – Guyane 2022 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 26, 2008 by AMAP Lab – Guyane 2022 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 26, 2008 by AMAP Lab – Guyane 2022 (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Oct 24, 2021 by Leandro da silva pereira (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5379918)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:227503-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Sapium glandulosum (L.) Morong)
Specifications
Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Growth
