Euphorbia cyathophora (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Euphorbia cyathophora Murray

Protologue: Comm. Göttingen 7: 81, t. 1 (1786).

Synonyms

• Euphorbia heterophylla L. var. cyathophora (Murray) Griseb. (1859),
• Poinsettia cyathophora (Murray) Klotzsch & Garcke (1859),
• Poinsettia graminifolia (Michx.) Millsp. (1909).

Vernacular names

• Painted leaf, red milkweed, wild poinsettia (En)
• Philippines: pintado (Tagalog)
• Vietnam: trạng nguyên ghi ta.

Distribution

Native to the southern United States, Mexico and perhaps also the Greater Antilles, but now cultivated and commonly escaping and naturalizing throughout the tropics. Within Malesia occurring in Peninsular Malaysia, Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

Uses

In Peninsular Malaysia, a decoction of the roots and bark is used to treat ague. In Mexico, the stem latex is applied against erysipelas. In the West Indies, the latex is applied to corns. In Guatemala, a decoction of the flowers is taken as a pectoral. In Central America, the roots are applied as an emetic and cathartic and administered in very small doses. In Brazil, the leaves are used to produce the red dye porcetin. E. cyathophora is sometimes planted for ornamental purposes.

Observations

• An annual or facultative perennial, unarmed herb up to 1.5 m tall.
• Leaves alternate, ovate or lanceolate to fiddle-shaped, 4-10 cm × 1-5 cm, base cuneate to rounded, apex obtuse or acute, margin entire to serrulate or dentate, glossy green, lower surface pilose, petiole up to 1.7 cm long, glabrous or sparsely pilose.
• Inflorescence a terminal, clustered cyme of cyathia, bracts similar to the leaves but progressively smaller, with a red blotch at base or entirely red.
• Cyathia with 1(-2) peltate, funnel-shaped glands with an elliptical, 2 mm wide opening, anthers yellow.
• Capsule deeply 3-lobed, 4-5 mm × 3.5-5 mm, smooth.
• Seeds ovoid, sharply tuberculate.

E. cyathophora is found in waste places and roadsides, up to 1800 m altitude.

Selected sources

• 97.Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr, R.C., 1963-1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. Vol. 1 (1963) 647 pp., Vol. 2 (1965) 641 pp., Vol. 3 (1968) 761 pp.
• 217.Carter, S. & Radcliffe Smith, A., 1988. Euphorbiaceae (Part 2). In: Polhill, R.M. (Editor): Flora of Tropical East Africa. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. pp. 409-576.
• 372.Dressler, R.L., 1962. A synopsis of Poinsettia (Euphorbiaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 48: 329-341.
• 864.Lin. S. C. & Hsieh, C. F., 1991. A taxonomic study of the genus Euphorbia L. (Euphorbiaceae) in Taiwan. Taiwania 36: 57-79.
• 865.Lin, S. C. & Hsieh, C. F., 1993. Euphorbia. In: Huang, T. C. (Editor): Flora of Taiwan. 2nd Edition. Vol. 3. Editorial Committee of the Flora of Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. pp. 456-469.
• 979.Morton, J.F., 1981. Atlas of medicinal plants of Middle America. Bahamas to Yucatan. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, United States. 1420 pp.
• 1178.Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
• 1183.Radcliffe Smith, A., 1980. Euphorbia L. In: Airy Shaw, H.K. The Euphorbiaceae of New Guinea. Kew Bulletin Additional Series VIII. Her Majesty's Stationary Office, London, United Kingdom. pp. 81-88.
• 1185.Radcliffe Smith, A., 1981. Euphorbia L. In: Airy Shaw, H.K. An alphabetical enumeration of the Euphorbiaceae of the Philippine Islands. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom. pp. 24-26.
• 1186.Radcliffe Smith, A., 1982. Euphorbia L. In: Airy Shaw, H. K. The Euphorbiaceae of Central Malesia. Kew Bulletin 37: 18-20.
• 1582.Wilson, A.K., 1981. Euphorbia heterophylla: a review of distribution, importance and control. Tropical Pest Management 27: 32-38.

Main genus page

• Euphorbia (Medicinal plants)

Authors

• Nguyen Nghia Thin & M.S.M. Sosef