Jatropha gossypiifolia L.
var. elegans (Pohl) Müll. Arg.

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (13)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Edge of lake, Hot Springs Resort

Photo: Bart Wursten
Svisvi River bridge, Gokwe District.

Photo: Mark Hyde
Bushbaby Lodge, Cromlet Road, Arcturus

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Jatropha elegans (Pohl) Klotzsch
Common names:	Bellyache bush (English) Red physic nut (English)
Frequency:	Locally abundant
Status:	Introduced
Description:	Multi-stemmed shrub. Stems and branches hollow, purple, covered in stalked glands (image 3). Leaves crowded near the ends of branches, palmately 3-5-lobed, dark purple when young, turning olive-green with age, margins and petioles with hair-like stalked glands. Flowers in terminal clusters, deep red with a yellow centre. Fruit a 3-lobed capsule.
Notes:	Introduced as a fast-growing hedge plant and has become naturalised. It is particularly abundant in the Nyanyadzi and Birchenough Bridge areas.
Derivation of specific name:	gossypiifolia: with leaves like a Gossypium, i.e. palmately lobed
Habitat:	Near rivers and particularly in disturbed areas.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Native to tropical America from Mexico to Paraguay and naturalised elsewhere
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W,E
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Monday 6 May 2019
Literature:	Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 42. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Page 259.

Other sources of information about Jatropha gossypiifolia var. elegans:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Jatropha gossypiifolia var. elegans
Flora of Mozambique: Jatropha gossypiifolia var. elegans
Flora of Zambia: Jatropha gossypiifolia var. elegans
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Jatropha gossypiifolia var. elegans

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Jatropha gossypiifolia
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Jatropha gossypiifolia
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Jatropha gossypiifolia
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Jatropha gossypiifolia
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Jatropha gossypiifolia
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Jatropha gossypiifolia
JSTOR Plant Science: Jatropha gossypiifolia
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Jatropha gossypiifolia
Plants of the World Online: Jatropha gossypiifolia
Tropicos: Jatropha gossypiifolia
Wikipedia: Jatropha gossypiifolia