On another thread we were talking about weeds, and I mentioned this plant. Thought I'd post it here...
Here is a picture (forgive the blurry buds, I was trying to get the leaves) of my yellow caesalpinia bush. Notice how the leaves grow out to the sides of each stem, in the traditional longer to shorter pattern to the tip of the stem.
Now here is a picture of the weed that wants to be a caesalpinia: I believe it is in the spurge family, but I'm not sure.
Notice how the leaves grow around the stem in a circular pattern.
When both plants are small, their leaves are nearly identical except for the growth pattern, and many people are cultivating this in their yards thinking that it is caesalpinia. By the time the critter reaches 3 or 4 ft and is covered in these fuzzy brown ugly "fruits", it is too late, and they are all over the place.
In these pictures, the difference seems obvious, but trying to explain it to folks and seeing the blank look on their faces has me in a real dilema...keep trying or let them be?
Hi Shari, the plant looks like Phyllanthus debilis. Niruri from India. Could you show the undersides of the leaves?
Interesting...I had it semi-pegged as a Phyllanthus amarus. Nice to know I was close. I will try to get a pic of the underside, but I want to ask why...they look the same as far as I can tell, upside or down.
Hi Shari, I just wanted to see if there were flowers and seed capsules hanging under the midrib of the leaves, that match up with the species.
AY....I hate that weed!!!!!
Aha! I thought you might recognize it Carol. Ha Ha. I hate it too...it is everywhere! And then I see these folks actually trying to grow it and I just want to cry!
Camera acting up Dave...I'm still working on an underside pic, but haven't noticed anything yet.
Yokwe,
Shari
Komol tata Islanshari
I found that Phyllanthus amarus is common in the Marshall Islands. Marshallese common name=Jiljino-awa
Saludos,
Bignonia
Phyllanthus debilis and Phyllanthus amarus are very closely related and may be the same plant.
Wagner, Herbst, & Sohmer. "Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i", places them in synonymy with Phyllanthus niruri and Phyllanthus urinaria. Phyllanthus debilis being their updated epithet.
They have similar medicinal qualities, and look the same. So far I have not found a reference that shows differences between them.
Bignonia, it is so strange to see Komol Tata on the computer! Ha Ha.
Well, now that we pretty much have this puppy identified, I will continue my attempts to keep folks from trying to grow it (!). The last thing we need is MORE of it!!! I just wish that it didn't look so close to the caesalpinia...people think they have a jewel.
Yokwe all,
Shari
