Phyllanthus casticum P.Willemet

Species

Angiosperms > Malpighiales > Phyllanthaceae > Phyllanthus

Characteristics

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. The trunk can be 15 cm across. The bark is brown-grey. The twigs are hairy. The leaves are alternate. They are in 2 rows and crowded along the twigs. The leaf blade is oblong and 7-25 mm long by 3-12 mm wide. The base is unequal. The flowers are in small groups in the axils of leaves. Male and female flowers are separate. They are dark red. The fruit is a round fleshy berry. It is 6-9 mm across and is green but turn red then black. It has 6 seeds.
Life form perennial
Growth form
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality -
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 4.25
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Dry deciduous savannah and on sandy soils, also along roads, at elevations from sea-level up to 1,600 metres.
More
It is a tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 1,600 m altitude.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

The fruit is eaten and has a slightly sour taste.
Uses dye food medicinal
Edible fruits leaves seeds
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by seedlings.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Phyllanthus casticum habit picture by E. Mouysset (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Phyllanthus casticum leaf picture by Matthieu Gebus (cc-by-sa)
Phyllanthus casticum leaf picture by E. Mouysset (cc-by-sa)
Phyllanthus casticum leaf picture by E. Mouysset (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Phyllanthus casticum flower picture by E. Mouysset (cc-by-sa)
Phyllanthus casticum flower picture by E. Mouysset (cc-by-sa)
Phyllanthus casticum flower picture by E. Mouysset (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Phyllanthus casticum world distribution map, present in Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Réunion

Conservation status

Phyllanthus casticum threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:353658-1
WFO ID wfo-0000270682
COL ID 6VF8Z
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 706640
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Phyllanthus casticum f. decipiens Kirganelia trilocularis Kirganelia virginea Phyllanthus decipiens Phyllanthus mocquerysianus Phyllanthus timoriensis Kirganelia boiviniana Kirganelia glaucescens Kirganelia phyllanthoides Phyllanthus angavensis Phyllanthus boivinianus Phyllanthus virgineus Diasperus decipiens Diasperus fasciculatus Kirganelia timorensis Diasperus casticum Phyllanthus casticum f. boinensis Phyllanthus casticum f. fasciculatus Kirganelia mauritiana Kirganelia elegans Kirganelia decipiens Phyllanthus casticum f. parvifolius Phyllanthus fasciculatus Phyllanthus casticum subsp. angavensis Phyllanthus casticum var. casticum Phyllanthus casticum var. fasciculatus Phyllanthus casticum var. kirganelia Phyllanthus casticum var. madagascariensis Phyllanthus kirganelia var. fasciculatus Phyllanthus kirganelia var. glaber Phyllanthus kirganelia var. sieberi Phyllanthus casticum subsp. microphyllus Phyllanthus casticum var. glaber Phyllanthus casticum f. tulearicus Phyllanthus casticum f. glaucescens Phyllanthus decipiens var. decipiens Phyllanthus kirganelia Kirganelia elegans Phyllanthus schimperianus Phyllanthus casticum

Lower taxons

Phyllanthus decipiens var. boivinianus