Jatropha ribifolia (Pohl) Baill.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Euphorbiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Jatropha ribifolia (Pohl) Baill.

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Piauí, Mar 1829, G. Gardner 2303 (holotype: K).

  • Synonyms

    Adenoropium ribifolium Pohl, Jatropha ribifolia var. typica Pax, Jatropha ribifolia var. ambigua Pax, Jatropha gossypiifolia var. ribifolia (Pohl) Müll.Arg., Jatropha bornmuelleri Pax, Jatropha bornmuelleri var. penicillata Fern.Casas

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs, to 1.5 m. Stems: gray-brown, young shoots green, densely pubescent; latex colorless to pale yellow, viscous and sticky. Leaves: persistent; fetid, stipules green, branched, stipitate glands, 2.5-4 mm long; petioles with stipitate glands, 1.6-5.6 cm long and 0.5-0.1 mm in diam.; blades cordate in outline, (3-)5-lobed, 3.5-8.5 x 2.8-5, lobes 1.9-3.7 cm wide, ± coriaceous, base cordate, margins glandular-ciliate, glands stipitate, apex acute and occasionally apiculate, venation palmate, yellowish, sparsely to densely pubescent-glandular and sticky on both surfaces. Inflorescences. terminal, few-flowered cymes, peduncles of main florescences 2-5.2(-11) and those of coflorescences 1.3-3.3 cm; bracts lanceolate, 2.5-5 mm long, margins glandular, pubescent; pedicels 1-2(-8) mm. Staminate flowers: sepals ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-2.5 x 0.8-1.5 mm, margins glandular-ciliate, distinct to ½ connate, apex acute, glabrous on adaxial surface but pubescent on abaxial; corollas campanulate, pale yellow, petals 4-5.5 x 2.7-4 mm, distinct, imbricate, apex rounded, glabrous on both surfaces; stamens 8, diadelphous-biseriate (5 + 3), filaments reddish, outer series 1.5-1.7 mm long and connate basally, inner series 2-3.5 mm and connate to ca. ½ of length. Pistillate flowers: like staminate but sepals 3-5 x 1.2-2 mm; petals 5.5-6 x 2.5-4 mm; carpels 3, styles ca. 0.5 mm long, reddish, distinct or basally connate. Capsules: spherical or nearly so, 9-12 mm in diam., pubescent, explosively dehiscent. Seeds: golden brown with a few dark brown speckles, oval, 7-8 x 3.8-4.8 mm, caruncle prominent.

  • Discussion

    Local names and uses. Piao, pinâo, pinâo rasteira, pinhão-miúdo, pinhâo pequeno, pinhâo zinho. Latex is used on wounds (pers. obs.). One spoonful of oil from the seed is used for veterinary vermifuge, only once (Agra et al., 2007). Detailed ethnomedicinal information for Jatropha ribifolia was provided by Leal and Agra (2005)

    Some specimens of Jatropha ribifolia and J. katharinae (= J. guaranitica) have been misidentified for each other.

    Fernández Casas (2003b) described Jatropha bornmuelleri Pax var. penicillata Fdez. Casas from Mato Grosso do Sul on the bases of its glabrous leaf surfaces with minute papillae and pilose inflorescence paracladia as opposed to whitish pubescent leaves and minutely pilose inflorescence of J. bornmuelleri. Jatropha bornmuelleri is here considered a synonym of J. ribifolia, as documented in this as well as McVaugh’s (1945a) work. Characteristics used for recognition of var. peniciliata are found in several specimens from many localities cited below and, in my opinion, do not warrant varietal or subspecies recognition.

  • Distribution

    Primarily native to the neighboring states of Bahia and Pernambuco in Brazil, but a few specimens have been collected in more western states. It occurs at lower elevations in caatinga and cerrado vegetations. Flowering and fruiting primarily during rainy season.

    Bahia Brazil South America| Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil South America| Paraíba Brazil South America| Pernambuco Brazil South America| Piauí Brazil South America| Sergipe Brazil South America|