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Phyllanthus virgatus Forst. f. [ Euphorbiaceae ]

Taxonomy Reports: ITIS | IPNI | IOPI

Samoan Name:
English Name:
Status: Indigenous
Habit: Herb

Whistler 10524

Whistler 7632

Whistler 8694

Indigenous or a Polynesian introduction to American Samoa, ranging from Asia to eastern Polynesia. This herb is apparently now uncommon to rare over most of its Polynesian range. It occurs in sunny or disturbed places in the forest, reported from 40 to 320 m elevation. No uses or Samoan names have been reported for this species.

Erect herb up to 50 cm in height, somewhat woody and branching near the base, with glabrous stems. Leaves simple (but superficially appearing to be pinnately compound), alternate, distichous, blade narrowly elliptic to oblong, 0.8–3 cm long, rounded to acute at the base, acute at the tip; surfaces glabrous; margins entire; petiole 0.5–1 mm long. Inflorescence of solitary, axillary, unisexual flowers borne on the lower side of the branchlets on a pedicle 1–2 mm long on male flowers, 2–10 mm on female flowers (including fruiting pedicel); plants monoecious. Calyx synsepalous, ca. 0.5–1 mm long, deeply divided into 5 obovate lobes. Corolla absent. Ovary of female flowers superior, 3-celled, with a bifid stigma; ovary absent in male flowers. Stamens usually 5 (?), free, absent in female flowers. Fruit a green, globose capsule 2–3 mm in diameter, splitting into three 2-seeded segments. Flowering and fruiting occur continuously.

Distinguishable by its erect herb habit; small, narrow, alternate leaves on branchlets superficially appearing to be compound leaves; tiny green, unisexual, axillary flowers arranged on the lower side of the branchlets; and a tiny green, globose capsule.

TUTUILA:
272. Setchell 330—Along trail from Alava Ridge to Vatia.
273. Whistler 8694—Olo Ridge at base of the cliff at 260 m elevation.
274. Whistler 10524—Rock face along the pinnacles just north of Afono Pass, 320 m elevation.

OLOSEGA:
275. Garber 1074—Along trail at Olosegauta, 250 m elevation.

TA‘Ū:
276. Garber 693—Luma—Faleasao trail, 40 m elevation.
277. Yuncker 9133—Moist bank along Luma to Faleasao Trail at 50 m elevation.
278. Whistler 7632—In rock cracks in Auvaiolei‘a at 135 m elevation.

Other Samoan Collections: SAVAII: (5). MANONO: (1). UPOLU: (2). WITHOUT FURTHER LOCALITY: (2).

Other Collections:

Georeference: -14.315569, -170.701986

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