Phyllanthus reticulatus - Black honey Shrub

❏ Binomial Name : Phyllanthus reticulatus Poir.

❏ Synonym : Anisonema reticulatum,Cicca reticulata,Kirganelia reticulata

❏ Family : Phyllanthaceae

❏ Common Name : Black-honey Shrub

❏ Tamil Name : Karu-nelli,Inki pazham

❏ Hindi Name : Panjuli

❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated

Phyllanthus reticulatus Botanical Description

Shrubs, pubescent, stem cyllindrical, matured stem blackish-brown, green in young; leaves alternate, pubescent, ovate-elliptic, margin entire, apex and base obtuse, lamina 2-2.5 x 1-1.5 cm, adaxially green, abaxially glaucous, 5-7 pairs of lateral veins; petiole 0.2-0.4 cm long, pubescent; stipule brown, 0.1 cm; inflorescence axillary cyme, male flowers clustered, female flower solitary, sometimes both mixed; male flower ca. 0.6 cm long, pubescent, pedicel 0.3 cm long, light yellow; calyx 5, ca. 0.15 cm, pink and white colouration, outer 2 is smaller in size; glands 5 at the base of stamen, yellow; stamens 5, anther brown, filament light-green; female flower 0.3 cm, pubescent, distinct ovary; calyx 5, 0.1 cm, persistant; style 6-9 tip, brown, connate at base; capsule orbicular, ca. 0.8 cm diameter, black on matured, pedicel 0.2 cm; seeds upto 20, trigonous, matured seeds greensh-yellow, shiny. Fl. &Fr.: August-December.

Phyllanthus reticulatus Medicinal uses

❀ The twigs are used as chew-sticks and toothbrushes. A black dye is obtained from ripe fruit and black ink also can be made from ripe fruit. A decoction of the stem and leaves is used as a mordant and also for dyeing cotton black. A soup made of the leaves, boiled with palm fruits, is given to woman after child-birth.

❀ The Sap from the stem is blown into the eyes to cure soreness

❀ The powdered leaves are combined with cubebs and camphor then made into tablets that can be sucked in order to treat bleeding gums

❀ The leaves and bark are reputed to be diuretic and cooling

❀ A decoction of the root, combined with the leaf-sap, is used as an antispastic

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