Euphorbia

A plant genus whose members produce a characteristic milky sap. The seeds show promise as oilseeds, yielding oil rich in vernolic acid, an epoxy fatty acid of industrial interest. Some Euphorbia species are toxic, which limits food uses. Vernolic acid’s epoxy group makes the oil valuable for coatings, adhesives and plasticisers rather than food, and several Euphorbia saps contain tumour-promoting diterpene esters. A few species have food-adjacent uses — such as Euphorbia balsamifera in some regions — but toxicity screening is mandatory before any food application.