450 
XC. EUPHOKBIACEiE 
6. PHYLLANTHUS. From the Greek phylion, a leaf, and 
anthos , a flower ; the flowering branches having, in some species, the 
appearance of pinnate leaves bearing flowers. — All warm countries. 
Trees or small shrubs, often herb-like. Leaves alternate, in 
two rows, sessile or nearly so, glabrous, entire. Flowers small, 
clustered or solitary, male and female on the same plant. Sepals 
6, oblong, obtuse. Male flowers : disk obsolete or of minute 
glands ; stamens 3, rarely 5, filaments short, more or less united 
at the base, rarely free. Female flowers : ovary globose, 3-celled, 
styles 3, reflexed, each deeply divided in two branches. Fruit- 
globose, succulent or dry, obscurely 6-lobed ; seeds 6. 
A tree. Flowers densely clustered along the branches. 
Fruit succulent . . . . . . . 1. P. Emblica. 
Small, herb-like shrubs. Flowers axillary, solitary or 2-3 
together. Fruit a capsule. 
Leaves ovate, | in. Seeds smooth . . . . 2. P. parvifolius. 
Leaves narrowly oblong, §-l \ in. Seeds rough . . 3. P. simplex. 
1. Phyllanthus Emblica, Linn. ; FI. Br. Ind. v. 289. A small 
tree ; foliage light green, feathery. Leaves narrowly oblong, 
\ in., closely set on pubescent branchlets having the appearance 
of pinnate leaves. Flowers green-yellow, densely clustered 
along the branchlets ; male numerous, female few, both sexes on 
the same branchlets. Male flowers : stalks short ; filaments united 
in a short column ; disk obsolete. Female flowers nearly sessile : 
disk a fringed cup enclosing the ovary ; style-branches flattened 
and lobed at the tips. Fruit succulent, globose, § in. diam., green 
or pale yellow, often tinged with red when ripe, very acid and 
astringent, enclosing 3 two-seeded cocci. 
Sutlej valley, in dry forest ; March-May. — Throughout India, ascending to 
4500 ft. — China, Malay islands. 
The bark, leaves and fruit are used for tanning ; the fruit is also employed 
in medicine and pickled for eating. Native name aoula. 
2. Phyllanthus parvifolius. Buck. -Ham. ; FI. Br. Ind. v. 294. A 
small shrub, 1-4 ft., rarely larger ; stems sometimes half -prostrate ; 
branches slender, often pendulous, minutely pubescent in lines. 
Leaves ovate or oblong-ovate, J-J in., pale on the lower surface. 
Flowers minute, brown-purple, stalked, axillary, mostly solitary. 
Male flowers : filaments united at the base, disk represented by 
glands. Female flowers : ovary encircled at its base by the ring- 
like disk ; style -branches undivided. Capsule J in. diam. ; seeds 
smooth. 
Naldera, Theog, often growing in crevices of rocks. — September, October. — 
Temperate Himalaya, 5000-7000 ft. 
3. Phyllanthus simplex, Betz. ; FI. Br. Ind. v. 295. A small, 
glabrous shrub, 1-3 ft. ; branches slender, erect. Leaves narrowly 
oblong, in., pale on the lower surface. Flowers minute, 
