Jatropha gossypiifolia - Barbados Nut

❏ Binomial Name : Jatropha gossypiifolia L.

❏ Synonym : Adenoropium gossypiifolium,Manihot gossypiifolia

❏ Family : Euphorbiaceae

❏ Common Name : Barbados Nut

❏ Tamil Name : Vellaikaattukottai

❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated

Jatropha gossypiifolia Botanical Description

Small shrub, attaining upto 2 m tall, deciduous; stem circular, whitish, newly developed stems are reddish with fascicle stipitate glands; leaves alternate, palmately 3 lobed, reddish, nerves 3, lateral nerves 7-11 pairs, adaxial and abaxial nerves sparesely pubescent, adaxial nerves red, margin finely serrete, dense hairy, reddish glanded, lamina 8-12 x 10 14 cm, petiole 6-10 cm long, ca. 0.25 cm diameter, sparesely pubescent, reddish, stipitate glanded to a particular side, not all around, ca. 0.13 cm long, glands green, stalk reddish; inflorescence terminal cymes, 5-8 cm long, 2-4 branched, pubescent, nodes fascicle stipitate glanded, peduncle 0.2-0.3 cm diameter; bracts green, ca. 0.9 cm long, 0.3 cm diameter, pubescent, margin hairy, stipitate glanded, upper part sometimes spiral; male flowers ca. 0.7 cm diameter, red, pedicel 0.1 cm long, pubescent; calyx 5, ca. 0.35 cm long, free, green, apex acute, margin hairy, glanded; corolla 5, ca. 0.5 cm long, free, upper part red, base light yellow, apex obtuse; stamens 8, ca. 0.25 cm long, of which 5 stamens had yellow anther, 3 stamens had pink anther which is centrally located, disk with 5 yellow glands; female flowers ca. 0.9 cm diameter, red, pedicel 0.15 cm long, pubescent; calyx 5, ca. 0.7 cm long, free, green, margin hairy, glanded, apex acuminate; corolla 5, ca. 0.5 cm, free, upper part red, base light yellow, apex obtuse; style 3, ca. 0.15 cm long, connate at the base, stigma bifid, light yellow; ovary ca. 0.15 cm, disk with circularly arranged 5 yellow glands. Fl. &Fr.: April-June.

Jatropha gossypiifolia Medicinal uses

❀ The leaves are blood purifier, febrifuge, purgative and stomachic

❀ The fruits and seed are boiled in liquid as a remedy for stomach ache

❀ The whole plant has been popularly used in Costa Rica for treating cancers

❀ A bark decoction is used as an emmenagogue

❀ Seeds used for the preparation of bio-diesel. Some time cultivated as an ornamental.

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