Acalypha indica L.
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Synonyms
Acalypha chinensis Benth., Acalypha caroliniana Blanco non Walt.
Vernacular Names
|
Malaysia |
Rumput lislis, tjeka mas. |
|
English |
Indian acalypha, threeseeded mercury. |
|
Indonesia |
Lelatang, rumput kokosongan. |
|
Thailand |
Tamyae tuaphuu, tamyae maeo (Central),haan maeo (Northern). |
|
Philippines |
Bugos (Tagalog), maraotong, taptapingar (Ilokano). |
|
Vietnam |
Tai t[uw][owj]ng [aas]n, tai t[uw][owj]ng xanh. |
Geographical Distributions
Acalypha indica is widespread in the Old World tropics from West Africa, throughout India, Indo-China to the Philippines and Java, but apparently absent in Borneo and rare in Eastern Malaysia.
Description
Acalypha indica is an erect and annual herb that can grow up to 1.5 m tall.
The leaves are rhombic-ovate, measure (1-)3-5(-7) cm x (1-)2.5-3(-5) cm, wedge-shaped at base, with shallowly serrate margin and petiole 2-6 cm long.
The inflorescences are bisexual, solitary and with short slender male portion while the female flowers are fewer and less crowded than in A. lanceolata. They arewith broad bracts, shallowly and obtusely toothed, which are much less closely nerved and produce allomorphic female flowers at the apex.
The fruit is 2-2.5 mm in diametre.
Ecology / Cultivation
Acalypha indica is found in waste places and cropped land at low altitudes, and is locally common.
Line Drawing / Photograph
Read More
1) Safety
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2.
