Jatropha divaricata Sw.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Euphorbiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Jatropha divaricata Sw.

  • Type

    Type. Jamaica,  incolit montes Jamaicae occidetalis, O. Swartz s.n. (holotype: S; photo of holotype: NY); isotype (BM, M).

  • Synonyms

    Adenoropium divaricatum (Sw.) Pohl

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs or small trees to 10 m. Stems: light brown, flexible; trunk to ca. 20 cm diam.; latex viscid, cloudy in younger and blood-red in older branches, aromatic. Leaves: persistent; stipules obsolete, petioles 4.5-7.5 (-12.5) cm long and 1.5-2.2 mm in diam, blades elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 5.2-10.5 x 10.5-17 cm, ± coriaceous, base round to ± cordate, margins entire, apex acuminate, venation palmate with 1 central and 2 weak laterals; glabrous on both surfaces but sometimes with a few hairs at angle of primary and secondary veins on abaxial surface. Inflorescences: lateral, simple, few-flowered cymes, peduncles 12-17 cm long; bracts small, 0.5-1 mm long, in pairs on dichotomously branched paracladia; pedicels 3-4 mm long in staminate and 4.5-6 mm in solitary, pistillate flowers at branch terminus. Staminate flowers: sepals elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 1.5-2 x 1-1.5 mm, ca. ½ connate, margins entire, apex rounded, glabrous on both surfaces; corollas campanulate, white to whitish yellow, petals obovate, 4-4.8 x 3-3.2 mm, distinct, rounded at apex, glabrous ab-axially, tomentose adaxially; stamens 10, diadelphous-biseriate (5 + 5), filaments connate to ca. ½ of length, outer series 1.2-1.5 mm long and inner series 1.5-2 (-2.5) mm long, anthers 1-1.3 mm long, apiculate. Pistillate flowers: like staminate but sepals 2-2.5 mm long and 1.3-1.5 mm wide, connate ca. ½ of length; petals united, 4-5.3 x 3-4 mm; carpels 3, apiculate, styles ca. 0.2 mm long, connate to ca. ¾ of length, stigma lobes short; basal glands white or tinged with red. Capsules: green, spherical, 2 cm diam., 3-lobed, explosively dehiscent. Seeds; light to dark brown with black mottling, ellipsoidal, 1.3-1.4 x 0.7-0.9 cm, caruncle present but small

  • Discussion

    Local names and uses. Mountain nut and wild oil nut. Used medicinally and examined for cancer treatment [G. R. Porter 38065 (IJ, MO, NY)]. Jatropha divaricata and J. podagrica were evaluated for gastrointestinal disorders and antibacterial and antiinflammatory uses by Ankli et al. (2002). There have been a few other publications on chemistry of J. divaricata in relation to its medicinal potential, of which any discussion is beyond the scope of this monograph.

  • Distribution

    Endemic to Jamaica, common tree in mesic forests of central and western parishes, on limestone at ca. 400-1000 m. Flowering and fruiting primarily in summer, otherwise all year.

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