Breynia vitis-idaea
(Burm.f.) C.E.C.Fisch. in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1932: 65. 1932.
Rhamnus vitis-idaea Burm.f., Fl. Indica 61. 1768, p. p., quoad lectotypus. Phyllanthus rhamnoides
Retz., Observ. Bot. 5: 30. 1788, nom. illeg.; Willd., Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 4: 580. 1805. P. vitis-idaea
(Burm.f.) K.D. Koenig ex Roxb., Fl. Ind., ed. Carey 3: 665. 1832. Breynia rhamnoides (Willd.)
Müll.Arg. in DC., Prodr. 15(2): 440. 1866, nom. illeg.; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 330. 1887; Prain,
Bengal Pl. 2: 934. 1903; Haines, Bot. Bihar Orissa 2: 133. 1921; C.E.Parkinson, Forest Fl. Andaman
Isl. 234. 1923; Gamble, Fl. Madras 2(7): 1304. 1925 (repr. ed. 2: 912. 1957); Kanjilal et al., Fl. Assam
4: 175. 1940. Melanthesa rhamnoides auct. non Blume, 1825: Miq., Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(2): 370. 1859;
Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 5: 26, t. 1898 (1). 1852.
Beng.: Kalisitki, Kamkatajuli, Silpati; Hindi: Tikhar; Kan.: Billisulli, Kaadu nugge;
Mal.: Chuvanna-niruri, Kattu-niruri, Pavalapulah, Pavilapulu; Or.: Jajan; Sant.: Kadupala,
Karki; Tam.: Kattuniruri, Manipullanti, Pomarai, Seppulae, Sithuruvam; Tel.: Adavimunaga,
Balli, Ettapurugudu, Yellari.
Shrubs or trees, 2 - 8 m high; entirely glabrous. Leaves ovate, oblong, elliptic to orbicular or narrowly oblong to elliptic, acute, obtuse, rounded, cuneate or subtruncate at base, flat along margins, acute, obtuse to rounded at apex, 1 - 5 (- 7) x 0.8 - 3 (- 3.5) cm, membranous or often chartaceous; lateral nerves 4 - 7 pairs; petioles 2 - 5 mm long; stipules triangular to lanceolate, 1 - 2 mm long, stiff. Male flowers: pedicels 2 - 5 mm long; calyx cupular or obconic, 1.2 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 mm; anthers 1 - 2 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 1 - 4 mm long; calyx cupular or obconic, patelliform in age, 1 - 1.5 x 1.2 - 2 mm, 6-fid at apex; teeth orbicular or deltoid, 0.5 - 0.8 mm; ovary depressed, sometimes raised and lobulate at the corners towards apex, 1 - 2 mm in diam.; styles subulate or triangular, ca 0.2 mm long. Fruits depressed to globose or ovoid, 2 - 6 x 4 - 6 mm, occasionally with a ring at the apex; pedicels 1.5 - 5 mm long; calyx 2 - 4 mm in diam.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Deciduous forests, mixed forests, scrub forests, beach forests, sholas, up to 1500 m altitude. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Indo-China, Thailand, Malaysia, Ryu-Kyu Islands and Philippines.
Uses. The tribes of Sriharikota Island in Andhra Pradesh apply warmed leaves of this plant on rheumatic swellings.
Notes. Chromosome numbers: 2n = 52 (Krishnappa & Reshme in Taxon 29: 533 - 547. 1980) and n = 26 (Gill & Bedi, l. c. 1979).
Shrubs or trees, 2 - 8 m high; entirely glabrous. Leaves ovate, oblong, elliptic to orbicular or narrowly oblong to elliptic, acute, obtuse, rounded, cuneate or subtruncate at base, flat along margins, acute, obtuse to rounded at apex, 1 - 5 (- 7) x 0.8 - 3 (- 3.5) cm, membranous or often chartaceous; lateral nerves 4 - 7 pairs; petioles 2 - 5 mm long; stipules triangular to lanceolate, 1 - 2 mm long, stiff. Male flowers: pedicels 2 - 5 mm long; calyx cupular or obconic, 1.2 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 mm; anthers 1 - 2 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 1 - 4 mm long; calyx cupular or obconic, patelliform in age, 1 - 1.5 x 1.2 - 2 mm, 6-fid at apex; teeth orbicular or deltoid, 0.5 - 0.8 mm; ovary depressed, sometimes raised and lobulate at the corners towards apex, 1 - 2 mm in diam.; styles subulate or triangular, ca 0.2 mm long. Fruits depressed to globose or ovoid, 2 - 6 x 4 - 6 mm, occasionally with a ring at the apex; pedicels 1.5 - 5 mm long; calyx 2 - 4 mm in diam.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Deciduous forests, mixed forests, scrub forests, beach forests, sholas, up to 1500 m altitude. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Indo-China, Thailand, Malaysia, Ryu-Kyu Islands and Philippines.
Uses. The tribes of Sriharikota Island in Andhra Pradesh apply warmed leaves of this plant on rheumatic swellings.
Notes. Chromosome numbers: 2n = 52 (Krishnappa & Reshme in Taxon 29: 533 - 547. 1980) and n = 26 (Gill & Bedi, l. c. 1979).
