Nectar and nectary studies on seven Euphorbia species

The nectary morphology of six Hungarian and one grown Mediterranean leafy spurge (Euphorbia) species was studied and compared. Glands with various horns were found in E. amygdaloides L., E. cyparissias L., E. esula L., E. myrsinites L. and E. virgata W. et K. Nectary without horns is characteristic to E. palustris L. and E. polychroma Kern. Cuticle pattern of the glands was different and characteristic to the species. E. amygdaloides has no cuticle wrinkles. Special letter shaped wrinkles were found in the species, for example „H” shaped in E. cyparissias, E. esula, E. palustris and E. virgata. Wrinkles in E. myrsinites have several branches; they could be „Z”, „W”, „Y” and „E” shaped. The nectar of each studied plants contained fructose, glucose and sucrose. An unknown sugar was found in E. cyparissias only