Morocco, 2 - 13 July 2008

Participants: Ricarda Riina and Manuel Portilheiro

We spent around 12 days collecting Euphorbias in Morocco, centering our efforts on the High Atlas region, the northern edge of the desert, and part of the Atlantic coast. We were very lucky to find several endemic species (Euphorbia resinifera, E. nereidum, and some rare ones such as E. rimarum). Other interesting species we collected in the desert were E. guyoniana, E. retusa, and E. calyptrata. We found almost everything green and in flower or fruit, although a few species were at the end of their growing season.

Very common and abundant species we saw include E. resinifera, E. officinarum, E. regis-jubae, and E. nicaeensis. All of these species cover extensive areas and are the dominant elements of several of the vegetation types we observed.