Buddha belly plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Guatemalan-rhubarb
• bottle-euphorbia
• goutstalk nettlespurge
• purgingnut
• white-rhubarb
• Buddha belly plant
• Gout Stalk
• Guatemalan rhubarb

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malpighiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae within the genus Jatropha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across various tropical and subtropical regions. Within the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in India. Its range extends into the Northwestern Pacific, specifically around the Caroline Islands. Additionally, it is present in the North-Central Pacific, including the islands of Hawaii. Finally, the species is located in Mexico, spanning both the Mexico Gulf and the Mexico Southwest regions.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Jatropha podagrica is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse vertical gradient within its native habitats. This species demonstrates significant adaptability to varying environmental conditions, occupying an elevational range that begins at 100 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 1450 m AMSL. This broad altitudinal distribution allows the plant to encounter a variety of microclimates, ranging from lower, potentially warmer lowland environments to higher, more temperate montane zones. Such ecological plasticity suggests that the species can tolerate fluctuations in temperature and atmospheric pressure, facilitating its presence in diverse topographical landscapes.

Elevational range max:

1450 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

100 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Jatropha podagrica is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a long-term presence in its habitat. In terms of its structural growth patterns and survival strategies, it exhibits characteristics of both phanerophytes and nanophanerophytes, depending on the environmental conditions and the specific development of its woody stems. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated woody structures above the soil surface, while its nanophanerophyte traits reflect its ability to maintain low-growing, compact woody stems that are close to the ground.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Jatropha podagrica is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub that is entirely self-supporting rather than acting as a climber or vine. As a terrestrial species, it is an independent plant that does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite. In terms of stature, it exhibits a variable plant height, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 2 m, with an average height of approximately 0.9 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

0.9 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiological development of the foliage in Jatropha podagrica is characterized by significant morphological variability in leaf dimensions, which plays a crucial role in its photosynthetic capacity and transpiration regulation. The leaves exhibit a broad range of lengths, with a minimum measurement of 8 cm, a mean length of 13 cm, and a maximum extent reaching up to 18 cm. This longitudinal variation is complemented by a substantial breadth in leaf width, which fluctuates between a minimum of 6 cm and a maximum of 16 cm. These dimensions suggest a highly adaptive leaf structure capable of maximizing surface area for light interception while maintaining structural integrity. The interplay between these length and width parameters defines the overall leaf area index, influencing the plant's metabolic efficiency and its ability to manage water loss through the stomatal complex.

Leaf length max:

18 cm

Leaf length mean:

13 cm

Leaf length min:

8 cm

Leaf width max:

16 cm

Leaf width min:

6 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Jatropha podagrica is characterized by the development of distinct fleshy fruits that exhibit specific morphological dimensions. The fruit size varies within a defined range, with lengths spanning from a minimum of 1.3 cm to a maximum of 1.8 cm, resulting in a calculated mean fruit length of 1.55 cm. In terms of width, the fruits maintain a highly consistent profile, showing a minimum, mean, and maximum value of 1.5 cm, which indicates a uniform lateral diameter across the fruit structure. These reproductive metrics provide essential data for understanding the fruit's physical development and its subsequent role in the plant's life cycle.

Fruit length max:

1.8 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.55 cm

Fruit length min:

1.3 cm

Fruit width max:

1.5 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Jatropha podagrica has 3 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, root, stem.

Fruit

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Stem

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Jatropha podagrica has 12 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Fraxetin, Corchoionoside C, Corilagin, Corillagin, Fraxin.

Fraxetin

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Corchoionoside C

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Corilagin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Corillagin

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Fraxin

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Gallic acid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hovetrichoside C

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Isobiflorin

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

METHYL GALLATE

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

PHILLYGENIN

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Jatropha podagrica has 4 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antiprotozoal.

Antibacterial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Antioxidant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiprotozoal

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Medicinal Uses

Jatropha podagrica has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include snake envenomation, tumor cell lines.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations