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Phyllanthus torrentium var. induratus

(Stone-Breaker Herb)

Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Chamber Bitter, Shatterstone, Stone-Breaker Herb

Description

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Family Euphorbiaceae

The Euphorbiaceae are mostly monoecious herbs, shrubs , and trees , sometimes succulent and cactus-like, comprising one of the largest families of plants with about 300 genera and 7,500 species that are further characterized by the frequent occurrence of milky sap . The leaves are mostly alternate but may be opposite or whorled and they are simple , or compound , or sometimes highly reduced. Stipules are generally present but may be reduced to hairs , glands or spines. The flowers are unisexual and usually actinomorphic . They may be highly reduced by suppression of parts, in the extreme form consisting of a naked stamen as a male flower and a naked pistil as a female flower. A specialized type of miniature inflorescence called a cyathium occurs in about 1,500 species comprising the genera Euphorbia and Chamaesyce. The cyathium consists of a single naked pistillate flower surrounded by cymes of naked staminate flowers, each consisting of a single stamen. These flowers are all enclosed in a cup-like involucre that typically is provided with peripheral nectaries and petaloid appendages such that the whole aggregation closely resembles a single flower. In other members of the family the flowers and inflorescences are more ordinary in appearance , with male and female flowers typically bearing a 5-merous calyx and corolla of distinct segments, although the corolla is sometimes absent. In these forms the androecium most commonly consists of 5, 10 or sometimes numerous distinct or monadelphous stamens. The gynoecium of female flowers consists of a single compound pistil of typically 3 carpels, an equal number of styles or primary style branches, and a superior ovary with typically 3 locules, each bearing 1 or 2 collateral , axile-apical pendulous ovules. The fruit is usually a capsular schizocarp. -- Gerald Carr.

Physical Description

Habit: Forb/herb

Flowers: Bloom Period: June, July, August. • Flower Color: inconspicuous, near white, none, white

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 12-18" tall.

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Annual

Growth

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.

Taxonomy

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Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

An accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database.

Name Status: Accepted Name.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Phyllanthus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 287 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

P. abnormis (Drummond's Leaf-Flower) · P. abnormis var. riograndensis (Rio Grande Leaf-Flower) · P. acidissimus · P. acidus (Tahitian Gooseberry Tree) · P. aeneus var. cordifolius · P. aeneus var. longistylis · P. aeneus var. nepouiensis · P. aeneus var. papillosus · P. ajmerianus · P. alatus · P. albicans · P. allemii (Stone-Breaker Herb) · P. amapondensis · P. amarus · P. andersonii · P. andrachnoides · P. angulatus · P. angustifolius · P. anisophyllus · P. ankaratrae · P. antillanus · P. aphanostylus var. tristis · P. arborescens · P. arboreus · P. arenarius var. yunnanensis · P. arnottianus · P. aspericaulis · P. asperus · P. assamicus · P. asteranthos · P. attenuatus subsp. incarum · P. attenuatus subsp. tucuruiensis · P. attenuatus tucuruiensis · P. austinii · P. axillaris · P. balgooyi · P. bartlettii · P. boehmii var. humilis · P. boninsimae · P. brasiliensis glaber · P. brasiliensis subsp. glaber · P. brisbanicus · P. bupleuroides var. latiaxialis · P. bupleuroides var. meoriensis · P. bupleuroides var. ngoyensis · P. bupleuroides var. poroensis · P. caesiifolius · P. callejasii · P. cantoniensis · P. caparaoensis (Carolina Leaf-Flower) · P. capensis · P. capillariformis · P. carolinianus · P. caroliniensis · P. caroliniensis guianensis · P. caroliniensis saxicola · P. caroliniensis subsp. guianensis · P. caroliniensis subsp. saxicola · P. casticum var. kirganelia · P. caudatus var. pubescens · P. cauliflorus · P. cernuus · P. chamaecerasus f. ripicola · P. chamaecerasus var. aoupinieensis · P. chamaecerasus var. intermedius · P. chamaecerasus var. longipedicellatus · P. chamaecerasus var. meoriensis · P. chamaecerasus var. vieillardii · P. chamaecristoides baracoensis · P. chamaecristoides subsp. baracoensis · P. cheloniphorbe · P. cheramela · P. chrysanthus var. deverdensis · P. chrysanthus var. micrantheoides · P. cicca · P. ciccoides var. ciccoides · P. ciccoides var. puberulus · P. cognatus · P. conjugatus var. ducosensis · P. conjugatus var. maaensis · P. cuatrecasanus (Pink Phyllanthus) · P. cyclanthera · P. cyclanthera var. genuinus · P. cygnorum var. cygnorum · P. dioicus · P. distichus var. degeneri · P. distichus var. ellipticus · P. dongfangensis · P. dracunculoides var. amieuensis · P. dracunculoides var. tiwakaensis (Indian Gooseberry) · P. dregeanus · P. emblica · P. epiphyllanthus dilatatus · P. epiphyllanthus domingensis · P. epiphyllanthus subsp. dilatatus · P. epiphyllanthus subsp. domingensis · P. epiphyllanthus var. dilatatus · P. ericoides (Heather Leaf-Flower) · P. eriocarpus · P. eximius

More Info

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Notes

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Contributors

Identifiers

Last Revised: 7/3/2009