Origin and Habitat: Euphorbia celastroidesSN|28904]]SN|28904]] var. stokesii is from Niʻihau and nearby Kaʻula Islet, Kauaʻi (Kīlauea Pt.), Molokaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe.
Habitat and ecology: This rare variety is down to about a thousand or so plants and found on windswept cliffs and ledges above the ocean. The habitat has been in rapid decline because of the spread of goats and other feral animals and invasive plants.

• Euphorbia celastroides var. stokesii (C.N.Forbes) Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. stokesii (C.N.Forbes) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia stokesii C.N.Forbes

• Euphorbia celastroides Boiss.
• Chamaesyce celastroides (Boiss.) Croizat & O.Deg.
• Euphorbia celastroides var. typica Sherff
• Euphorbia annulata Nutt. ex Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. amplectens Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. amplectens (Sherff) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia celastroides var. arenisaxosa H.St.John
• Euphorbia celastroides var. halawana Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. hanapepensis Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. hanapepensis (Sherff) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia celastroides var. haupuana Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. humbertii Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. ingrata O.Deg. & Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. kaenana Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. kaenana (Sherff) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia celastroides var. kealiana Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. kohalana Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. kohalana (O.Deg. & Sherff) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia celastroides var. laehiensis O.Deg., I.Deg. & Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. laehiensis (O.Deg., I.Deg. & Sherff) Koutnik
• Euphorbia celastroides var. limahuliensis H.St.John
• Euphorbia celastroides var. lorifolia (A.Gray ex H.Mann) Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. lorifolia (A.Gray ex H.Mann) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Chamaesyce lorifolia (A.Gray ex H.Mann) Croizat & O.Deg.
• Euphorbia lorifolia (A.Gray ex H.Mann) Hillebr.
• Euphorbia multiformis var. lorifolia A.Gray ex H.Mann
• Euphorbia celastroides var. mauiensis Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. moomomiana Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. nelsonii H.St.John
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. nelsonii (H.St.John) V.S.Raju & P.N.Rao
• Euphorbia celastroides var. nematopoda Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. niuensis Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. odonatoides O.Deg. & Sherff
• Euphorbia celastroides var. saxicola O.Deg. & Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. saxicola (O.Deg. & Sherff) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia celastroides var. stokesii (C.N.Forbes) Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. stokesii (C.N.Forbes) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia stokesii C.N.Forbes
• Euphorbia celastroides var. tomentella (Boiss.) Oudejans
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. tomentella (Boiss.) Koutnik
• Euphorbia multiformis var. tomentella Boiss.
• Euphorbia celastroides var. waikoluensis Sherff
• Chamaesyce celastroides var. waikoluensis (Sherff) O.Deg. & I.Deg.
• Euphorbia multiformis var. celastroides A.Gray
• Euphorbia multiformis var. kaalana Sherff
• Euphorbia multiformis var. manoana Sherff
• Euphorbia multiformis var. perdita Sherff
• Euphorbia oahuensis Skottsb.
• Euphorbia rivularis A.Heller

Description: The Akoko Euphorbia celastroidesSN|28904]]SN|28904]] var. stokesii, previously also known as Chamaesyce celastroidesSN|28905]]SN|28905]] var. stokesii is one of the several varieties of the widespread and variableEuphorbia celastroidesSN|28904]]SN|28904]]. It is a small shrub usually less than 60 cm tall distinguished by its broadly obovate grey-green glaucous leaves. This species develops into a sprawling shrub. The flowers are not attractive. The red or pinkish fruits, however, enhance the beautiful foliage.
Stems: Forms a loosely branching short trunk. The secondary or young branches are stiff, with short internodes. A milky, sticky latex naturally oozes from wounds.
Leaves: Distichous (growing in two vertical rows), broadly obovate, grey-silverish to light green that may have a glaucous coating. Often the leaves in the summer assume a red-violet colouring. It does not lose its leaves in the winter, due to the warm climate of its range, but is drought-deciduous. Damaged or old leaves turn a blood red as they die.
Flowers (cyathia): Small, brownish to greenish-white, not showy, a few millimetres in diameter, located in short or open-branched cymes, or ungrouped in leaf axils. Female cyathia have a three-part pistil over a three-part ovary, usually producing three (or sometimes more) seeds. The pungent flowers of ʻakoko have been described as smelling like bad breath.
Fruit: Green or reddish-brown or pink, rounded 2 to 4 mm long. Within each capsule are two or three small seeds.
Phenology: Euphorbia celastroidesSN|28904]]SN|28904]] var. stokesii, produces flower and fruit sporadically throughout the year.
Seeds: Grey-brown seeds 0.5 to 2.5 mm long.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Forest & Kim Starr “Euphorbia celastroides (akoko)”. Plants of Hawaii. <http://www.starrenvironmental.com>. Web. 27 Sep. 2014.
2) Wikipedia contributors. "Euphorbia celastroides." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 14 May. 2014. Web. 27 Sep. 2014.
3) Wagner, W.; D. Herbst; S. Sohmer “Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii.” Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press 1990
4) National Museum of Natural History “Flora of the Hawaiian Islands” <http://botany.si.edu/pacificislandbiodiversity/hawaiianflora/> Smithsonian Institution Web. 27 Sep. 20149
5) Andrew W. Mitchell “The Fragile South Pacific: An Ecological Odyssey” University of Texas Press, 1990
6)Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota “Reports of the Survey" Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota: Botanical series, Volume 2, 1898
7) John L. Culliney, Bruce P. Koebele “A Native Hawaiian Garden: How to Grow and Care for Island Plants” University of Hawaii Press, 1999
8) Beatrice Krauss "Plants in Hawaiian Culture" by, page 138.
9) Robert Pearcy & John Troughton "Photosynthesis in Tree Form Euphorbia Species from Hawaiian Rainforest Sites" by , page 1055.
10) A.C. Medeiros, C.F. Davenport & C.G. Chimera "Auwahi: Ethnobotany of a Hawaiian Dryland Forest", page 21.
11) Native Plants Hawaii. “Euphorbia celastroides var. stokesii” <http://www.nativeplants.hawaii.edu> Web. 27 Sep. 2014.
12) World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. Euphorbia celastroides var. stokesii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 28 September 2014.
13) Marie C. Neal "In Gardens of Hawaii" June 1, 1965

Cultivation and Propagation: Euphorbia celastroidesSN|28904]]SN|28904]] or akoko is an attractive tropical species that requires temperatures of 15 °C and light shade. This plant develops in a fashion similar to a shrub and is tolerant of heat and drought.
Growth rate: They can grow to half a meter a year and flowering and fruiting in optimal conditions.
Potting medium: A gritty, very free-draining compost is suitable, and clay pots help the plants to dry out between watering. Re-pot every 2-3 years. It grew well on sand, cinder and coral too.
Fertilization: Akoko respond well to liquid fertilizer (once every one to two months).
Waterings: They like only a short winter's rest and should be kept almost completely dry during the winter months. If the soil is allowed to be dry for too long root loss could follow but equally the same result would occur if the plants are both wet and cold. From March onwards the plant will begin to grow and watering should be increased gradually until late May when the plant should be in full growth. Water regularly during the summer so long as the plant pot is allowed to drain and not sit in a tray of water. During hot weather you may need to water the plants more frequently so long as the plant is actively growing. From late September watering should be reduced to force the plant to go in to a state of semi dormancy, by October you should be back in to the winter watering regime.
Hardiness: This spurge is tender, hates prolonged cool and is suited for tropical or subtropical climates, it is killed at 0°C or colder for any appreciable length of time, but may survive cold weather even if it end up getting nearly defoliated each winter. (USDA Zones 10a-12b) Any temps below 4° C degrees call for protection for this plant. Seedling growth arrests below 15°C.
Wind hardiness: It is very tolerant and even survives to strong hurricane wind with minimal damages, but will grow better with slow wind.
Salt tolerance: It is tolerant of coastal and beach exposure, as well as salt spray.
Maintenance: This species do tend to get sort of leggy, which is particularly a problem if grown as a potted plant, and pruning is sometime necessary to shape. Repeatedly prunings also help to encourage new growth.
Landscape Uses: Accent; container; hedges.
Hawaiian Uses: The milky sap was one ingredient of the paint used on canoe hulls.
Pest and diseases: They are susceptible to fungal diseases. Wet soil quickly causes root and stem rot, especially during winter months. Pests of akoko include whitefly, scale insects, and mealybugs. Often the scale in-sects and mealybugs are brought in and protected by ants.
Propagation: Seeds or cuttings. It is best to collect seed just before or just after the capsules split open to be sure to have fresh but mature seeds. Because of the small size of the seedlings, place little or no cover over the seedbed. Take extra care to avoid letting the seedbed dry out. The seeds will begin sprouting in one to two weeks (sometimes take longer). Let the seedlings grow to about 5 cm in height before separating and transplanting to individual containers. You can also propagate Euphorbia celastroidesSN|28904]]SN|28904]] by stem tip cuttings. Take cuttings about 10 cm in length from actively growing tips with mostly green wood. Rooting time is variable as long as two to three months. After root growth and new stem growth are obvious, transfer the new plant to a standard potting mix.