please help me id this...i found it in my backyard


i found this in my backyard...i want to know the name of the plant...its uses??species...family...common name etc...for the school project...thank you for helping


Drought Smart Plants reply:

This looks a bit like Rhipsalis - although the picture is a little fuzzy and it's hard to tell.

If it has very slender green branches, and no leaves, with tiny soft prickles, this could bit it.

I've got several different ones, and this one looks similar to Rhipsalis piocarpa, which might be a place to start. You can find more pictures of Rhipsalis here on Dave's Garden Website that it resembles:

Rhipsalis teres f. prismatica

Rhipsalis burchellii

Rhipsalis baccifera subsp. mauritiana

Rhipsalis teres f. heteroclada


Best of luck finding your plant name,
Jacki

Comments for please help me id this...i found it in my backyard

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Dec 23, 2015
 Euphorbia tirucalli
by: Ally

My best bet from this photo with its upright growth habit is that it's euphorbia tirucalli also known as the pencil cactus.

Easy enough to confirm - break off a stem and if it bleeds white latex it's a euphorbia and not a rhipsalis.

Careful not to touch the white latex though as it can be very irritating to to the skin and eyes etc.

Another giveaway would be if it develops tiny "leaves" at some point throughout the year as rhipsalis wouldn't do this.

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