Until about 1980, taxonomists placed a number of species, including this one, under Phyllanthus niruri L. Where the name Phyllanthus niruri has been applied in older literature to African or Asian specimens, usually Phyllanthus amarus is intended, but sometimes also Phyllanthus debilis, Phyllanthus fraternus, Phyllanthus maderaspatensis or Phyllanthus rotundifolius. Specimens of true Phyllanthus niruri have actually never been confirmed from outside the Americas[].

Common Name:

General Information

Phyllanthus rotundifolius is an erect, annual to perennial plant, sometimes becoming a more woody-based shrublet; it can grow up to 45cm tall[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Mauritania and Senegal to Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania; Arabian Peninsula to Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka.

Habitat

Local and occasional in grassland; coastal and deciduous bushland; often in places where perennial grasses are inhibited by rocks, sand or volcanic soils; becoming a weed in cultivated areas[]. Found at elevations up to 1,370 metres in Somalia[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	0.35 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Found in the wild on sand and sandy or alluvial soils[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The sap from pounded leaves is applied to wounds[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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