Echidnopsis spp.
Plant Family
Apocynaceae – Dogbane Family.
Note: This species was formerly in the family Asclepiadaceae (milkweed family) that is now treated as the subfamily of Asclepiadoideae in the family Apocynaceae.
Binomial Name
Echidnopsis spp. We have not determined the species of this plant.
Synonymous Binomial Names
None.
Common (Vernacular) Names
Snake plants
Plant Characteristics
Endemicity. Species in this genus are native to eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra Island. We obtained this plant many years ago from a grower in California. The species and its endemicity are undetermined.
Growth Habit. A diminutive, low perennial succulent with thin tufted cylindrical branches. The branches are reclining to upright, leafless, green, dull dark green and brownish-green or reddish near the tips. The branches break off easily and re-root if they have ground contact. Growth tends to slow and the plants do not bloom in the early winter months.
 Echidnopsis spp. |
Flowers. Small, maroon, 5-merous flowers form along the stems.
 Flower of Echidnopsis spp. |
Seeds. Our plants have not produced seed follicles.
Conservation Status
Echidnopsis species endemic to Socotra Island including E. bentii, E. inconspicua, E. insularis, E. milleri and E. socotrana have been assessed and listed as vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List (Miller 2004 a-e). Continuing decline in the area, fragmented populations and the extent and/or quality of habitat were factors contributing to this assessment. No information on the conservation status of Echidnopsis species endemic to other areas was found.
CITES Listing: No Echidnopsis species were listed on CITES Appendices I, II or III (CITES 2018).
U.S. Endangered Species Act Listing Status: No Echidnopsis species are listed (FWS 2018).
Uses
Ethnomedical Uses. In Ethiopia, Echidnopsis dammanniana Sprenger, is used to treat snakebite (Belayneh and Bussa 2014).
Ethnoveterinary Uses. In Ethiopia, the stems of Echidnopsis dammanniana Sprenger, referred to as riyo-dararis in the local language, are used to treat lice infestations and snake bite in livestock (Feyera et al. 2017).
Cultivation
Echidnopsis species are rarely cultivated. Some plants were collected and planted in botanical gardens before 1871, the year the genus was named (Hooker 1871) and they are of continuing interest to collectors.
Propagation
Seeds. Seeds are not available.
Cuttings: Small branches broken off the main plant are easy to root by placing the ends at a shallow depth in the planting media or just by laying them on the soil surface. Use a fast draining planting media such as commercial mixes for cacti. The plants do best in partial shade. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings and reduce or avoid watering when plants are dormant.
Improved Cultivars
Not available.
Pests and Diseases
Our Echidnopsis species is susceptible to most of the same pests and diseases that commonly affect other asclepiad plants.
Anthracnose Fungus. Most of the Echidnopsis plants we have grown outdoors in Hawaiʻi eventually contract anthracnose-like fungus. The infections generally progress slowly and sometimes appear to become inactive, leaving light brown to grayish-white scarring in the previously affected areas of the plants. More virulent infections will eventually kill the plants if not controlled. Prolonged moist conditions as are typically present in the rainy season here favor transmission and growth of the fungus. There are also numerous host plant species that harbor it. Attempts to prevent or treat infections with sulfur emulsions and neem oil were not successful. Applications of Mycobutanil (Immunox®) appear to be well tolerated and effective based on limited testing. Echidnopsis grows well in our greenhouses, and indoors and does not get anthracnose in these environments.
Soft Rot. Our Echidnopsis is highly susceptible to soft rot when grown outdoors or under unfavorable cool, moist conditions indoors. It usually begins in the roots or the stems near the soil surface. Affected plants tend to break off above the affected area. Unlike the rapidly spreading soft rot syndrome commonly affecting Hoodia species, these infections seem to be isolated in the affected area. A callus-like barrier forms around the site. The remainder of the plant appears to be unaffected and can be re-rooted.
Mealy Bugs. Mealy bugs have not been observed on our Echidnopsis plants, even those grown in close proximity to other stapeliad species such as Hoodia that had significant infestations.
Invasiveness Potential
The high susceptibility of this species to anthracnose fungus and soft rot when grown outdoors, and the lack of observed seed production suggests a low risk of invasiveness in Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA) Program. Echidnopsis species have not been specifically accessed by the Program. However, the closely related species Notechidnopsis tessellata has been accessed and assigned WRA score of -3, indicating low risk.
Global Invasive Species Database Listing. Echidnopsis species were not found on the database (GISD 2018).
Toxicity and Precautions
No information about the toxicity of this plant was found.
Plants and Seeds for Sale
Availability
Seeds. Not available.
Nursery Stock. Echidnopsis plants are rarely available. We offer non-certified, rooted cuttings of this species from our online store.
Shipping Information
Our non-certified Echidnopsis plants cannot be shipped to the states of Arizona, California, Louisiana and Texas.
There are no specific restrictions on shipping this plant to international destinations.
References
Belayneh A, Bussa NF. 2014. Ethnomedicinal plants used to treat human ailments in the prehistoric place of Harla and Dengego valleys, eastern Ethiopia. J Ethnobio. Ethnomed. 10:18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-10-18
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Appendices I, II, and III valid from 4 October 2017. https://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php [accessed 18 October 2018].
Feyera T, Mekonnen E, Wakayo BU, Assefa S. 2017. Botanical ethnoveterinary therapies used by agro-pastoralists of Fafan zone, Eastern Ethiopia. BMC Vet. Res. 13:232. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-017-1149-6
FWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). 2018. Endangered Species Home. Search Endangered Species Database. https://www.fws.gov/endangered/ [accessed 18 October 2018].
GISD (Global Invasive Species Database). 2018. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/search.php [searched on 20 October 2018].
Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA). 2017. Notechidnopsis tessellata. https://sites.google.com/site/weedriskassessment/home [accessed 20 October 2018].
GISD (Global Invasive Species Database) 2018. Downloaded from http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/search.php [accessed 18 October 2018].
Hooker JD. 1871. Botanical Magazine. V97, Plate 5930. http://www.botanicus.org/page/439845 [accessed 20 October 2018].
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). 2018. Version 2018-1. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [accessed 20 October 2018].
Miller, A. 2004a. Echidnopsis bentii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T44761A10946733. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T44761A10946733.en. [accessed 20 October 2018].
Miller, A. 2004b. Echidnopsis inconspicua. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T44762A10935798. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T44762A10935798.en. [accessed 20 October 2018].
Miller, A. 2004c. Echidnopsis insularis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T44763A10935942. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T44763A10935942.en. [accessed 20 October 2018].
Miller, A. 2004d. Echidnopsis milleri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T44764A10936257. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T44764A10936257.en. [accessed 20 October 2018].
Miller, A. 2004e. Echidnopsis socotrana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T44765A10936160. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T44765A10936160.en. [accessed 20 October 2018].
Page last updated 20 October 2018