Cyathium

A cyathium (plural: cyathia) is one of the specialised pseudanthia ("false flowers") forming the inflorescence of plants in the genus "Euphorbia" (Euphorbiaceae). A cyathium consists of:
The flower-like characteristics of the cyathia are underlined by brightly coloured nectar glands and often by petal-like appendages to the nectar glands, or brightly coloured, petal-like bracts positioned under the cyathia. The paired petal-like bracts of "Euphorbia" section "Goniostema" are called "cyathophylls". here female to male flower ratio is 1:α
The cyathia are sometimes solitary, but are usually in cymes, inflorescences of the second order, in pseudumbels, on dichotomously branched stalks or in so-called simple cymes which consist of one central and two lateral cyathia.
In one group of Madagascan species in the subfamily Euphorbia section Goniostema ("E. aueoviridiflora", "E. capmanambatoensis", "E. iharanae", "E. leuconeura", "E. neohumbertii", "E. viguieri") there is a tendency for a further pseudanthium to grow from the cyme. Probably as an adaptation to pollination by birds, the cyathia have become specialised: Most cyathia have upright cyathophylls which surround them protectively, but render the nectar glands inaccessible. To compensate, between them are naked sterile cyathia whose only job is to produce nectar.