Phyllanthus

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Phyllanthus acidus.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Origin: ✈ ?
Cultivation
Exposure: ☼ ?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water: ◍ ?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.
Scientific Names

Phyllanthus >



Read about Phyllanthus in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Phyllanthus (Greek for leaf-flower, the flowers of some species being apparently borne on leaves). Euphorbiaceae. Mostly shrubs, some herbs or trees, often cultivated in greenhouses for their graceful or curious foliage; some species have economic uses for which they are cultivated in tropical lands.

Leaves small, alternate, entire, usually 2-ranked on the small lateral branches which then resemble pinnate lvs., such as walnut or sumach, and even fall like lvs., leaving conspicuous scars on the main branches; several species have the branches flattened into lf.- like organs with fls. and rudimentary lvs. on the margins: fls. axillary, apetalous, monoecious or dioecious, in small clusters or singly; sepals 4-6, imbricate; disk present but no rudimentary pistil in the staminate fis.; stamens 2-6 (or more), usually 3; styles slender; ovary 3-celled, 2 ovules in each cell.—About 500 species, mostly in tropical regions. Related to Breynia, Glochidion, and Securinega. Some of the species commonly cult, under the name of Phyllanthus belong more properly to Breynia or Glochidion. The genus has not been thoroughly studied since Mueller monographed it in D.C. Prod. 15, II; 274, where it is divided into 44 sections, some of which, as Emblica. Cicca, Bradleia and Xylophylla, have been considered separate genera.

Most of the species here included are grown as ornamental shrubs in the greenhouse. P. acidus (P. dis-tichus) is often cultivated, especially in the gardens and lowlands of Jamaica and the West Indies for the fruit which is pickled or made into preserves; it is acid and astringent; the root is an active purgative and the seed is abo cathartic. P. Emblica is also grown in the tropics for the edible fruit. P. nivosus is often used in greenhouses and for bedding out in summer, and in the warmer parts of Florida for permanent hedges.

In general, phyllanthus is propagated from greenwood cuttings from the larger side shoots rooted in sand in the hothouse. They are usually taken in August or before. Some leaves are left on the cutting and the sand is kept just moist but not allowed to dry. The snow-bush grows readily from root cuttings. P. acidus and P. Emblica and some other species are often grown from seeds; the latter is difficult to propagate vegetatively except by layering.

P. acuminatus, Vahl. related to P. distichus. Trop. Amer.— P. caroliniensis, Walt., an infrequent low weed from Pa., eouth.— P. Chantrieri, Andre, related to P. pulcher. Cochin-China.—P. epiphyllanthus, Linn., related to P. angustifolius, the flat branches curved.—P. falcatus. Swartz- P. epiphyllanthus.—P. glaucescens, HBK., related to P.pulcher. Trop.

CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


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Species

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For full list, see List of Phyllanthus species.

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References

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