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Species of flowering plant
Apteranthes europaea is a succulent subshrub flowering plant that belongs to the genus Apteranthes in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae of the family Apocynaceae. Its basionym is Stapelia europaea. The native range of this species is Almería and Murcia[1] in southeast Spain, the islands of Linosa and Lampedusa in the Mediterranean sea, North Africa from Morocco to Egypt and from the Sinai to west Jordan.[2]
Common names in Spain include: chumberilla, chumberillo de lobo, empeinadora, espinal, penquilla, penquilla del campo.[1] Called dghemsi, dghibsi or Dawa Nafli (= the medicine of Nafli) in Palestine. Called daghmous in Morocco.[4]
Edible fleshy branches, much sought after by Bedouin and villagers in Palestine and thought to be delicious. Chewed raw. Also regarded as a medicine. A popular medicinal plant in Morocco. Sold in the souk at Aguelmous.[4]
Meve and Heneidak noted that the extreme variability within and between populations of Apteranthes europaea had led to taxonomists often describing new species, subspecies, varieties or forms which were just morphotypes, ecotypes or geographical races of the species.[5]
Apteranthes europaea subsp. europaea Native range: Southeast Spain, Linosa, Lampedusa, North Africa from Morocco to Egypt.
Synonymous species:
Apteranthes europaea subsp. maroccana (Hook.f.) Plowes Native range: Morocco.
Basionym: Boucerosia maroccana Hook.f.
Synonymous species:
Apteranthes europaea var. judaica (Zohary) Plowes Native range: East of the Suez Canal,[5] from Sinai to west Jordan.
Basionym: Caralluma europaea var. judaica Zohary
Synonymous species:
- ^ a b Ortiz Ballesteros, Pedro Luis; Arista Palmero, Montserrat (2012). “Caralluma”. Flora Iberica Volumen XI Gentianaceae – Boraginaceae (in Spanish). Madrid: Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC. pp. 126–129. ISBN 978-84-00-09415-7. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ a b “Apteranthes europaea (Guss.) Murb”. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ a b Daoudi, A.; Bammou, M.; Zarkani, S.; Slimani, I.; Ibijbijen, J.; Nassiri, L. (2016). “Étude ethnobotanique de la flore médicinale dans la commune rurale d’Aguelmouss province de Khénifra (Maroc)”. Phytothérapie (in French). 14: 220–228. doi:10.1007/s10298-015-0953-z. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
- ^ a b Meve, Ulrich; Heneidak, Samia (2005). “A morphological, karyological and chemical study of the Apteranthes (Caralluma) europaea complex” (PDF). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 149: 419–432. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
