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Jatropha curcas

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Medicinal Plants of the World

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Abstract

A glabrous erect branched shrub of the EUPHORBIACEAE family, 2 to 5 meters high with stout, cylindrical green branches with viscid, milky or reddish sap. Leaves are orbicular-ovate, angular or somewhat 3 or 5lobed, 10 to 15 cm long, acuminate and base cordate with long petioles. Cymes are axillary, peduncled. The flowers are greenish or greenish—white, 6 to 8 mm in diameter. The male and female bear at different times in the same inflorescence; petals 6 to 7 mm long. The petals are reflexed, stamens 10, the filaments of the inner 5, connate. Capsules at first fleshy, becoming dry, of 2 or 3 cocci, subspherical, 2.5 to 4 cm diameters with seeds blackish, about 2 cm long.

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Ross, I.A. (2003). Jatropha curcas. In: Medicinal Plants of the World. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-365-1_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-365-1_14

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