a milky latex is a characteristic of the subfamilies euphorbioideae and crotonoideae, and the latex of the rubber tree "hevea brasiliensis" is the primary source of natural rubber. the latex is poisonous in the euphorbioideae, but innocuous in the crotonoideae. white mangrove, also known as blind-your-eye mangrove latex ("excoecaria agallocha"), causes blistering on contact and temporary blindness if it contacts the eyes. other common names are milky mangrove, "buta buta" (malay), and "gewa" (bangladesh). the latex of spurge was used as a laxative.