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69. Stinging Spurge 

 Jatropha urens 



CAUTION: This plant is thickly covered with stiff hairs 

 which sting severely and cause pain and inflammation, often 

 with numbness lasting for a day or more. There is no special 

 treatment for this condition, but it is self-limited. This spurge 

 is commonly found at low or middle altitudes in many parts of 

 the Caribbean area. There are several kinds of this soft- 

 stemmed plant, bush or small tree, but all are much alike in 

 general appearance. It has white flowers and milky sap. 

 Other names for it are ortiga, pringamoza, mala mujer and 

 ckichicaste. 



