Phyllanthus

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Phyllanthus
Indian gooseberry, Phyllanthus emblica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Angiospermae
(unranked):	Eudicots
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Phyllanthaceae
Tribe:	Phyllantheae
Genus:	Phyllanthus L.
Diversity
About 800 species

Phyllanthus is the largest genus in the family Phyllanthaceae. Estimates of the number species in this genus vary widely, from 750^[1] to 1200.^[2] Phyllanthus has a remarkable diversity of growth forms including annual and perennial herbs, shrubs, climbers, floating aquatics, and pachycaulous succulents. Some have flattened leaflike stems called cladodes. It has a wide variety of floral morphologies and chromosome numbers and has one of the widest range of pollen types of any seed plant genus.

Despite their variety, almost all Phyllanthus species express a specific type of growth called "phyllanthoid branching" in which the vertical stems bear deciduous, floriferous (flower-bearing), plagiotropic (horizontal or oblique) stems. The leaves on the main (vertical) axes are reduced to scales called "cataphylls", while leaves on the other axes develop normally.^[3] Phyllanthus is distributed in all tropical and subtropical regions on Earth. Leafflower is the common name for all Phyllanthus species.

The circumscription of this genus has been a cause of much confusion and disagreement. Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that Phyllanthus is paraphyletic over Reverchonia, Glochidion, Sauropus, and Breynia. A recent revision of the family Phyllanthaceae has subsumed all four of these genera into Phyllanthus.^[4] This enlarged version of Phyllanthus might eventually be divided into smaller genera, but much more research will be needed before anyone knows how to do this. Progress continues to be made in this area.^{[5] [6]}

Synonymy

See Taxonomy of the Phyllanthaceae and Phyllanthaceae.

Selected species

• Phyllanthus acidus - Otaheite gooseberry
• Phyllanthus acuminatus - Jamaican gooseberry tree
• Phyllanthus caroliniensis - native to the Americas
• Phyllanthus emblica - Indian gooseberry, also known as amla or amalaki.
• Phyllanthus mirabilis - the only succulent species of this genus
• Phyllanthus niruri - Chanca piedra (Also includes P. amarus and P. debilis)
• Phyllanthus urinaria - chamberbitter
• Phyllanthus fluitans - red root floater, sometimes sold in aquarium shops

For full list, see List of Phyllanthus species.

Medical interest

The herb Phyllanthus emblica has gained interest as a potiential treatment for human bone disorders^[7] as well as diabetes patients.^[8]

Gaining attention for its potential effects against hepatitis B, ^[9] research on Phyllanthus niruri has revealed possible antiviral activity also against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).^[10]

Phyllanthus plants have been used in folk medicine used to treat a wide number of diseases. In Indian Ayurvedic medicine, various herbaceous Phyllanthus species are known as bhuiamla,^[11] a name previously assigned to P. niruri only. Bhuiamla is prescribed for jaundice, gonorrhea and diabetes (internal use) as well as poultices, skin ulcer and other skin problems (external use). Infusions are made from young shoots as a treatment of chronic dysentery. None of these supposed benefits, however, is established with scientific research.

Leaves, roots, stem, bark and berries of this genus contain lignans (e.g. phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin) and a variety of other phytochemicals.^[12][13][14]

Gallery

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Phyllanthus acidus	Phyllanthus acidus	Phyllanthus acidus Fruits	Phyllanthus juglandifolius
Phyllanthus juglandifolius	Phyllanthus mirabilis Cultivated plant	Phyllanthus mirabilis Branch tip	Phyllanthus mirabilis Leaves
Phyllanthus mirabilis Folded together leaves at night	Phyllanthus niruri Leaves

References

External links

• Kathriarachchi, Hashendra (2005). "Molecular phylogenetics of Phyllanthaceae inferred from five genes (plastid atpB, matK, 3′ndhF, rbcL, and nuclear PHYC)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 36: 112. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.12.002. 
• Pruesapan, K. (2008). "Delimitation of Sauropus (Phyllanthaceae) Based on Plastid matK and Nuclear Ribosomal ITS DNA Sequence Data". Annals of Botany 102: 1007. doi:10.1093/aob/mcn193.