Description
White‑angled qilin (scientific name: *Euphorbia resinifera* O.Berg) is a perennial succulent plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, genus *Euphorbia*. It is native to the Atlas Mountains in northwest Morocco, Africa. The plant’s clump can reach up to 2 m wide. Its stems are four‑angled, succulent branches with dense red‑brown short spines along the ridges; the bark is gray‑green and covered with a white powder. Its milky sap contains resin toxin (RTX), with a heat level of 16 billion units, and its binding affinity to capsaicin receptors is tens of thousands of times that of capsaicin. Medical studies indicate that this toxin can permanently deactivate pain nerve endings, making it valuable for pain‑treatment research. During winter, the plant must be kept at temperatures above 5 °C. When propagating by cutting, the wound should be air‑dried for 3–5 days to prevent sap‑induced rot. In December 2018, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden completed a live specimen introduction exhibition at the sand plant hall, cultivating the plant on a full‑light sandy medium.
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