Phyllanthus pachyphyllus Mull.Arg., Prodr. 15(2): 353 (1866)
Name meaning 'thick leaves'.
Synonyms
Phyllanthus annamensis Beille
Phyllanthus campanulatus Ridl.
Phyllanthus coriaceus Wall. ex Hook.f. [Illegitimate]
Phyllanthus frondosus var. rigidus Ridl.
Phyllanthus klossii Ridl.
Phyllanthus sciadiostylus Airy Shaw
Description
Erect shrubs up to 4 m tall, glabrous throughout; stem gray-brown; branchlets sharply 4-angled. Stipules ovate-triangular, ca. 1 mm;
petiole 2-3 mm; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate or rhombic, 3-14 x 1.5-3.5 cm, thinly leathery, base broadly cuneate, margin revolute when
dry, apex acuminate, slightly caudate; lateral veins (4-)6-8 pairs. Plants monoecious. Inflorescence a bisexual fascicle, axillary or
along specialized leafless branchlets, 2-10 cm, usually with 1-3 female and 2-6 male flowers, with many 2-3 mm scaly bracts. Male
flowers ca. 4 mm in diam.; pedicels 1-2(-3) mm; sepals 6, obovate, subequal, ca. 1.5 mm, apex obtuse or acute, margin membranous;
stamens 3; filaments connate, ca. 1 mm; thecae parallel, longitudinally dehiscent; pollen grain spherical or oblate-spherical, 6-colporate,
rarely 4- or 5-colporate or forate-colpate; disk glands 6. Female flowers ca. 4 mm in diam.; pedicels 1-3.5 mm; sepals 6, obovate,
ca. 1.5 x 1.5 mm, margin membranous, persistent in fruit; disk cup-shaped, membranous, slightly lacerate at apex; ovary ovoid, ca. 1.3 mm
in diam., 3-celled; styles 3, ca. 1 mm, connate at base, bifid at apex, lobes recurved and slightly appressed to apex of ovary. Fruiting
pedicel ca. 4 mm; capsule globose, ca. 4 mm in diam., red. Seed red, ca. 2 mm in diam. [Flora of China]
Ecology
Open montane forests, disturbed scrub, riversides; 100-600 m.
Uses
Distribution
Southern China and Hainan, Southeast Asian mainland, Malaysia and Borneo.
Local names
China: Ya xian ye xia zhu.
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