Phyllanthus.'] EuphorbiacecB. 2 1 



Annual, but sometimes slightly woody at base ; stem 1-2 ft, 

 erect, with long, slender, ascending, glabrous branches; 1. on 

 vciy short petioles, small, \-\ in., cuneate-obovate, much 

 tapering to narrow base, rounded-truncate but often apiculate 

 at apex, glaucous and with lat. veins conspicuous beneath; 

 stip. linear-lanceolate, very acute ; fl. on very short ped., male 

 in small clusters, fern, solitary; sep. obovate-rotundate, obtuse; 

 male fl. : — stam. completely connate ; fern. fl. : — styles very 

 small ; fr. dry, very small, under \ in., depressed, 3-lobecl, 

 glabrous ; seeds very finely muriculate in lines. 



Dry region; rather common. Jaffna; Mineri, &c. Fl. Jan.-March. 

 India, Arabia, Trop. Africa, China, Java, Australia. 



6. P. Rheedii, Wight, Ic. v. 2, 25 (1852). 



P.flaccidics, Thw. Enum. 283. Muell. Arg. I.e. 363. C. P. 320. 

 , Fl. B. Ind. V. 293. Wight, Ic. t. 1895, f i ("ot good). 



Annual ; stem \-2\ ft., rather stout, branched above, 

 glabrous; 1. |-i^ in., oblong-oval, acute or rounded at base, 

 subacute and apiculate at apex, thin; petiole very short; stip. 

 long, acicular, persistent ; male fl. very small, on short ped. 

 1-3 together, fem. fl. much larger, solitary, on longer ped. 

 thickened upwards; sep. oblong, obtuse, with white margins; 

 fil. connate below ; styles short, bifid ; fr. \ in. diam., sur- 

 rounded by persistent sep., globose, dry, scarcely 3-lobed, 

 glabrous, almost membranous ; seeds striate. 



Montane zone, 4-7000 ft. ; rather common. Fl. March, April. 

 Also in Nilghiri Mts. 



Notwithstanding Wight's name, it is doubtful if Rheede's figure (Hort. 

 Mai. ii. t. 27) really represents this plant. 



7. P. Urinaria, L. Sp. PI. 982 (1753). Rat-pltawakka, S. 

 Herm. Mus. 4. Burm. Thes. 231. Fl. Zeyl. n. 332. Moon, Cat. 65. 



Thw. Enum. 282. C. P. 2137. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 293. Wight, Ic. t. 1895, f 4 {P. leprocarpus). 



Annual ; stem 1-2 ft., erect, very slightly branched, slender, 

 glabrous ; leaf-bearing branchlets short, flattened or slightly 

 winged ; 1. numerous, closely placed, distichously imbricate, 

 nearly sessile, small, \-\ in., oblong, rounded at base, apiculate, 

 paler or silvery beneath; stip. peltate, very acute; fl, numerous, 

 very minute, nearly sessile, solitary; sep. not enlarged in fr. ; 

 fr. very small, scarcely \ in., depressed -globose, scarcely 

 lobed, muriculate ; seeds transversely furrowed. 



Waste ground in the low country; a common weed. Fl. all the year; 

 yellowish. 



Throughout the Tropics. 



Very like P. Niruri, but easily distinguished by the muriculate fruit. 

 A diuretic. 



