Monographs Details – Vascular Plants of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Monographs Details:

Authority:

Dehgan, Bijan. 2012. . Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 110: 1--274. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Euphorbiaceae

Scientific Name:

Jatropha curcas L.

Synonyms:

Manihot curcas (L.) Crantz, Ricinus americanus Mill., Curcas purgans L.W.Medicus, Jatropha edulis Cerv., Curcas drastica Mart., Jatropha condor Wall., Jatropha moluccana L., Jatropha yucatanensis Briq.

Description:

Species Description - Trees, 8-15 m tall, monoecious. Stems: green in younger branches but grey-green in older, erect, somewhat succulent, leaf scars crescent-shaped; latex copious, clear in younger branches but cloudy in older. Leaves. deciduous in drier, cooler climates but semievergreen to evergreen in warmer, moist regions; stipules caducous but narrowly lanceolate when present on actively growing shoots; petioles 9-19 cm long and 1.4-3 mm in diam.; blades cordate to orbicular in outline, shallowly 3- to 5-lobed or sometimes unlobed, 9-15 cm wide and long, membranous, base cordate, apex acuminate, margins entire or eophylls and young leaves with few glands, venation palmate with 3-5(-7) primary veins, both surfaces glabrous or occasionally sparsely pubescent on abaxial veins. Inflorescences: bisexual, terminal becoming subterminal to lateral with continued growth, many-flowered, compound, capitate cymes, flowers predominantly staminate, peduncles of main florescences 5-10 cm long and those of coflorescences 1.5-5 cm; bracts 3-10 mm long; bracteoles 1.5-2 mm long; pedicels 1-3 mm long. Staminate flowers: sepals ovate-elliptic, 4-6 x 2-3 mm, connate at base, margins entire; apex acute, glabrous on both surfaces; corollas campanulate, greenish white to greenish yellow, petals 4-5 x 2-2.5(-3) mm, distinct or connate ca. ¼ of length, ovate-oblong, apex round and strongly reflexed, tomentose on adaxial side but glabrous on ab-axial; stamens 10, ± biseriate (5 + 5), filaments of outer series 3-4.5 mm long and those of inner series 3-5 mm, anthers 1.4-2 mm long. Pistillate flowers: like staminate but slightly larger and much fewer in number, infrequently with fertile staminodes; sepals 5-7.5 x 2-2.5 mm, connate to ca. ½ of length; petals 6-8 x 2-3.5 mm, glabrous on both surfaces; carpels 3, styles connate, 0.5-1.5 mm long, stigmas 3-lobed, lobes bifurcate; ovary usually unlobed but sometimes slightly 3-lobed. Capsules: ellipsoid, 2.6-3 x 2.2-2.8 cm, trilocular, drupaceous, black at maturity, tardily dehiscent. Seeds, black or black mottled with some white spots, oblong-ellipsoidal, 1.8-2 x 1.1-1.3 cm wide, seed coat smooth, caruncle small to nearly vestigial.

Discussion:

Local names and uses. Capuillo, chote, coquille, florón de montaña, French physic nut, kekchí, physic-nut, pinhâo de purga, piñon, piñón blanco, piñon botija, piñon lechoso, piñón perga, piñon ríollo, pinyung, pum blanco, quinhuala, scohuite, sakil-té, skil-té, tártago, tempate, tzeltal, and yupur. Mayan names (Roys, 1931), include ponponche, ponpoche, x-cacal-che, and ziclité. It has been used in soap making and commonly as living hedge around farms and cattle ranches because it can be easily propagated by cuttings and is not eaten by cattle or even goats. Although highly toxic due to the presence of the chemical curcin (tetramethylpyrazine), a few fresh seeds are used as a purgative (dose is 2 seeds only, more is dangerous) and also as edible, roasted nuts. Seeds that are roasted are said to be from specific cultivars. Makkar et al. (1998) cited several papers concerning the edible selections and providing interesting information about the nutritional value of the seeds. Leaves and cotyledons are boiled and used for dressing sores and to treat indigestion. Significant wound-healing activity was reported by Villegas et al. (1997). An extensive discussion concerning local utilization of J. curcas was presented by Standley (1923). Fruits are used to induce vomiting (hence, the common name, purging nut). Latex is used for fever blisters, warts, skin infections, pimples, mouth infection from bad teeth, and burns. Latex (“resin”) is also used to stop bleeding from wounds and to cauterize gums when a tooth is pulled. One teaspoon of the fresh sap is taken for diarrhea and as a contraceptive by women during the “regla” in Central America. According to Roys (1931), the Mayans used J, curcas to pass stones by drinking a tiny glass of the resin with an equal amount of water. It should be noted that, like all other species of the genus, Jatropha curcas has toxic properties (Lampe & McCann, 1985; Mampane et al., 2006). Kirtikar (1903) provided a detailed and interesting discussion of uses and medicinal and poisonous properties of J. curcas. There are numerous other publications concerning chemistry and medicinal properties of J. curcas that are beyond the scope of this monograph.

In recent years, extensive culvation of Jatropha curcas has begun for biofuel production from seed in tropical and subtropical regions of several countries in Central and South America as well as India, Africa, and Southeast Asia (Heller, 1996; Kalabandi et al., 2008). Selected cultivars of J. curcas that are prolific fruit producers have been propagated by means of tissue culture (Sujatha & Mukta, 1996; Rajore & Batra, 2005; Datta et al., 2007). Characteristics and phenology of J. curcas were studied by Rao et al. (2008). In two recent publications, Carels (2009) and Debnath (2010) have examined agronomy, oil production, chemistry, biofuel features, toxicity, breeding, and other relevant aspects of J. curcas utilization in developing countries.

Jatropha curcas readily hybridizes with many other species in the genus and usually functions as the female parent (Dehgan, 1984), hence, it is considered a primitive taxon (for further discussion see Geography and Evolution). Prabakaran & Sujatha (1999) showed that J. tanjorensis Ellis & Soroja, a common plant in Tamil Nadu State of India, is in fact a natural, sterile hybrid between J. curcas and J. gossypiifolia. This is a surprising find in light of the apparent taxonomic distance between these species.

Although Jatropha curcas was properly lectotypified by Radcliffe-Smith (1986), as noted above, a specimen exists in the Linnaean Collections [LINN 1141.6 (Herb. Linn)] that might have been of interest.

Distribution and Ecology: Common in neotropical regions from south Florida to northern Argentina and circumtropical. Although the actual origin of the species cannot be determined, it most likely migrated from tropical, northern South America to Mesoamerica and became widespread in Mexico, where plants are common in deciduous forests and open spaces, and where closely related species probably have evolved. The only known fossil record reported for any Jatropha is that of J. curcas from the early Tertiary of Peru by Berry (1929). Judging from the description and photographs, the resemblance to J. curcas is striking. The species is also widely cultivated and has become spontaneous in many countries, very likely including most of the specimens cited below. Flowering and fruiting primarily during active spring growth but sometimes also sparingly in late summer to early fall.