Crown of Thorns

Euphorbia milii, the crown-of-thorns, Christ plant or Christ's thorn, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to Madagascar. The epithet commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Réunion, who introduced the species to France in 1821. The native Malagasy name for this plant, songosongo, has also been applied to several other Euphorbia species. It is thought that the species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times; legend, which associates it with the crown-of-thorns worn by Jesus Christ upon his crucifixion, has likely influenced the common name "crown-of-thorns".

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