A succulent shrub or small tree in the spurge family, reaching up to 7 m tall. It branches repeatedly into smooth, green, pencil-thick succulent stems, often in whorls, and its small leaves, 1 to 2.5 cm long, fall early so the plant appears leafless. Its native range is uncertain because of its long history of cultivation. POWO treats it as native to Madagascar, while other sources include dry regions of eastern and southern Africa. It is known as milk bush or pencil tree, and the white latex released from cut stems is toxic and can severely irritate the skin and eyes.
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