Breynia discigera (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction

Protologue: in DC., Prodr. 15(2): 440 (1866).

Synonyms

Breynia rhamnoides (Blume) Müll. Arg. var. pubescens (Müll. Arg.) Müll. Arg. (1866).

Peninsular Thailand southwards to Singapore and Sumatra.

In Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia, leaves are used in poultices to relieve kidney disorders.

A shrub or treelet, up to 2 m tall, tomentose all over.
Leaves ovate to elliptical, 1.3-3.8 cm × 0.8-2 cm, length width ratio 1.6-1.9, base acute, apex acute, margin recurved, coriaceous, dark green above, very light pale green beneath, petiole 1-2 mm long, stipules 1.5-2 mm long.
Staminate flowers about 1.5 mm in diameter, pedicel about 0.5 mm long, calyx dull pinkish-white, about 1.7 mm × 1.5 mm, very thick, lobes about 0.3-0.4 mm long, androphore about 1 mm high, anthers about 0.8 mm long; pistillate flowers 4-5 mm in diameter, pedicel about 1.5 mm long, calyx 2.1-2.8 mm long, dull pinkish-white, lobes 1.5-2.2 mm wide, only hairy outside, ovary about 1 mm × 1.3 mm in diameter, apically lobed, stigmas about 0.2 mm long, not united, not split, pointing towards each other.
Fruit about 7 mm × 6.5 mm, with small apical crown, red.
Seed about 4 mm × 2 mm × 2 mm, orange.

B. discigera is found in open thickets and margins of secondary forest at 30-300 m altitude.

[31] Airy Shaw, H.K., 1972. The Euphorbiaceae of Siam. Kew Bulletin 26: 191—363.
[135] Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A—H) pp. 1—1240, Vol. 2 (I—Z) pp. 1241—2444.
[786] Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. 620 pp.