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Useful Tropical Plants

Microstachys chamaelea

(L.) Müll.Arg.

Euphorbiaceae


The genus Microstachys is not universally accepted. We are following the treatment in works such as the 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families' and 'Euphorbiaceae of Malesia'[
327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).
], which accept the genus as distinct, but some other works, such as the 'African Plants Database'[
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
], treat this genus as part of the genus Sebastiania, which would make this species Sebastiania chamaelea (L.) Müll.Arg.[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Cnemidostachys chamaelaea (L.) Spreng.

Cnemidostachys linearifolia Miq.

Elachocroton asperococcum F.Muell.

Excoecaria chamelaea (L.) Baill.

Sebastiania chamaelea (L.) Müll.Arg.

Stillingia asperococca (F.Muell.) Baill.

Stillingia chamaelea (L.) Müll.Arg.

Tragia chamaelea L.

Common Name:

Microstachys chamaelea
Ripening fruits
Photograph by: Vinayaraj
Creative Commons License
Microstachys chamaelea Microstachys chamaelea Microstachys chamaelea Microstachys chamaelea Microstachys chamaelea Microstachys chamaelea Microstachys chamaelea

General Information

Microstachys chamaelea is an erect to sprawling, annual to perennial plant or a many-stemmed shrub with slender stems, growing from a yellowish-brown tap root around 15cm long. It usually grows up to 50cm tall, occasionally to 100cm[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).

Range

Africa - Ghana to Chad and the Central African Republic; subtropical and tropical Asia from India, Sri Lanka and China to Australia and the Solomon Is

Habitat

Beaches, sandy sites, roadsides and waste places, also on lateritic outcrops, dry dipterocarp forest, grassfields, and open woodland, often gregarious; at elevations up to 300 metres[
327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).
]. A weed in Pennisetum and Sorghum cultivations on sandy soils[
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitAnnual/Perennial
Height0.50 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Found in the wild on sandy, alluvial and lateritic soils[
327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).
].
The plant is a weed of cultivated crops on sandy soils[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The plant flowers and produces fruit all year round, but especially in the rainy season[
327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the leafy stems is used as a bath to relieve teething pain in babies[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. In India, such a decoction taken with butter is considered a tonic, and is applied to the head as a treatment for vertigo[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
When cooked together with meat and vegetables, whole young plants are used for giving a speedy recovery to women after giving birth[
327
Title
Euphorbiaceae of Malesia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource that is still being developed, it gives detailed botanical descriptions of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae found growing in Malesia (the region from Peninsual Malaysia through Indonesia, the Philippines).
].

The plant sap is an astringent tonic that is taken to treat syphilis and diarrhoea[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Microstachys%20chamaelea>

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