PHOTOSYNTHETIC PATHWAYS AND ECOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF EUPHORBIA SPECIES IN EGYPT

The photosynthetic pathways of 42 species of the genus Euphorbia growing wild, naturalized or cultivated in Egypt were investigated. The criteria used included the delta-C-13- and delta-D-values and Kranz anatomy of the leaves. There is a relationship between the photosynthetic pathway and the ecological conditions in the habitat of a particular species. All 4 CAM species are succulent shrubs, wild or cultivated. The 11 species with C4 pathways are mainly summer annuals of tropical origin and flourish under the hot summer conditions. The 27 C3 species are either winter annuals, perennials, perennials flourishing in winter or shrubs; the majority are Mediterranean, European or Saharo-Arabian. Summer annuals with C3 pathways grow under the shade of the summer crops. Generally, C3 plants grow under conditions of relatively better water resources and lower temperature than the C4 plants. The majority of the CAM and C4 species occur in the southern part of the country, where high temperature is a common feature of the climate.