This species may be transferred to the genus Phyllanthus. A paper by Warren L. Wagner and David H. Lorence ‘A nomenclator of Pacific oceanic island Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae), including Glochidion’ PhytoKeys 4:67-94 (2011)[], has proposed submerging the genera Breynia, Glochidion, Reverchonia, Phyllanthodendron, and Sauropus into a broadened concept of the genus Phyllanthus. This proposal has not yet (2014) been fully accepted, although the ‘World Checklist of Selected Plant Families’ has accepted the name changes of the Pacific Island species of Glochidion, as detailed in the paper. No revised form of this name has been seen as yet

Common Name: Sweet Leaf

General Information

Sauropus androgynus is an evergreen, much-branched shrub growing from 80 - 300cm tall.
The plant is widely cultivated in several countries in east and southeast Asia as a medicinal plant and as a vegetable[, ]. It is often sold in local markets[]. It is one of the most prolific, nutritious and appetising of all green vegetables and deserves to be more widely known[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - India, Bangladesh, S. China, to Indonesia, Vietnam etc.

Habitat

Slopes with brushwood, sunny forest margins at elevations of 100 - 400 metres in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Yunnan Provinces[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, where it is well adapted to lowland conditions but can also be cultivated at elevations up to 4,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 26 - 35°c, but can tolerate 5 - 38°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 900 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 600 - 4,000 mm[].
Succeeds in full sun and semi shade[]. Survives dry conditions and does not require a rich soil[]. Tolerant of very heavy soils[]. Tolerant of heavy rainfall areas, though they prefer a well-drained soil[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[].
First harvest may be taken after 55 - 70 days[].
Plants can be harvested throughout the year[].
In Java, the plant flowers all year-round and fruiting is usually abundant[].
Plants are fairly resistant to insect predations[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, ]. Young leaves make a good addition to salads, whilst older leaves are best cooked[]. They can be added to soups or cooked with rice[]. Young shoots about 7cm long, harvested as the leaves unfurl, have a flavour like asparagus[]. A sweet flavour, rather similar to fresh garden peas[]. The leaves are a good source of protein (about 6 - 10%[]) and are very nutritious[].

Ripe fruits can be made into sweetmeats[].

A green dye, obtained from the leaves, is used for food dyeing[, ].

Medicinal

The leaves are used as a medicine for coughs and to soothe the lungs, as a tonic, and as a febrifugal to relieve internal fever[]. The leaves are an effective treatment for erythema, measles and dysuria[].
A mouth-wash made from the juice of fresh leaves combined with honey is applied to the tongue and gums as a treatment of thrush of the tongue in infants[].

The fresh leaves or roots are uterotonic. An extracted juice is used for the treatment of retained placenta[]

The roots are diuretic and act to relieve congestion[]..

The leaves and roots are harvested from plants over 2 years old. The roots are dried before use whilst the leaves are used fresh[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants can be grown as a hedge so long as they are trimmed regularly to keep them within bounds[]. They are commonly grown as a living fence or to shade vegetable cultures[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - borne in abundance on the plants, they germinate readily[].
Cuttings - they strike readily[]. Somewhat woody shoots, 20 - 30cm long are used[].

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