Flueggea virosa subsp. virosa

IntroducedIllustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 334.

Shrubs, 10–60 dm. Stems sharply angled when young. Leaves: petiole 2–9 mm; blade elliptic to obovate, 2–5 × 1–3 cm, base acute-cuneate, apex rounded to acute. Inflorescences: staminate 20–40-flowered, pistillate 3–10-flowered. Pedicels: staminate 3–6 mm, pistillate 1.5–5(–12) mm. Staminate flowers: sepals ovate to elliptic, 0.8–1.5 mm; pistillode 1.2–2.2 mm, nearly as long as stamens. Pistillate flowers: sepals ovate to elliptic, 0.7–1 mm. Berries white, 3–5 mm diam. Seeds brown, 1.7–2.4(–3) mm. 2n = 26 (Africa, Asia).


Phenology: Flowering and fruiting summer.
Habitat: Disturbed rocky pinelands.
Elevation: 0–10 m.

Distribution

V12 598-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Fla., Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands (Malesia except New Guinea).

Discussion

Subspecies virosa is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental and has become naturalized in Miami-Dade County, where it was first reported escaping in the 1970s. It has weedy tendencies in its native range. The roots, and to a lesser extent the twigs and leaves, are used medicinally in Africa to treat a wide variety of maladies, and the fruits are eaten fresh or made into an alcoholic beverage (J. R. S. Tabuti 2008). The other subspecies grow from northeast India to Myanmar (subsp. himalaica D. G. Long) and New Guinea and Australia [subsp. melanthesoides (F. Mueller) G. L. Webster].

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
Geoffrey A. Levin +
(Roxburgh ex Willdenow) Royle +
Phyllanthus virosus +
Fla. +, Asia +, Africa +  and Pacific Islands (Malesia except New Guinea). +
0–10 m. +
Disturbed rocky pinelands. +
Flowering and fruiting summer. +
Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts., +
Introduced +  and Illustrated +
Flueggea virosa subsp. virosa +
Flueggea virosa +
subspecies +