Jatropha variifolia Pax

Euphorbiaceae, A. Radcliffe-Smith. Flora Zambesiaca 9:4. 1996

Morphology General Habit

A 1–2-stemmed, sparingly branched, somewhat succulent, glabrous shrub or subshrub up to 2 m tall, with a thickened rootstock.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 4 × 6 mm, flabellately multifid; the segments up to c. 3 mm long, filiform-setaceous, gland-tipped.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles up to 9 cm long.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf blades up to 18 × 20 cm (in Flora Zambesiaca area), palmately 5-fid to 5-partite, truncate to shallowly cordate at the base, acutely or obtusely shortly acuminate at lobe apices, entire, membranaceous, dark green and shiny on upper surface, paler and duller beneath; the median lobe up to 13 × 6 cm, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, the lateral lobes progressively smaller; lobe midribs all arising at the lamina base, lateral nerves in up to c. 15 pairs in the median lobe, fewer in the lateral lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences up to 30 cm long, terminal or subterminal, subcorymbiform; peduncle up to 13 cm long; bracts up to 1.5 cm long, linear-lanceolate, acute, glandular to long-stipitate.

sex Male

Male flowers: pedicels slender, 1–3 mm long; calyx tube 1.5 mm long; calyx lobes 2 × 1 mm, lanceolate, subacute, entire, terracotta; petals 5 × 2 mm, oblanceolate, rounded, becoming reflexed, glabrous, yellow; disk glands 5, free, minute, erect, turbinate, truncate; stamens 8, the 5 outer 5 mm long and fused for two fifths their length, the 3 inner 6 mm long and fused for two-thirds their length, filaments glabrous, anthers 1 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers: pedicels c. 5 mm long, extending a little in fruit; calyx tube c. 2 mm long, lobes 3 × 1.25 mm, and extending a little in fruit, otherwise resembling the male; petals as in the male, but yellow-green; disk 5-lobed, the lobes short, broad and somewhat irregularly lobulate; ovary 2 × 2 mm, 3-lobed to subglobose, smooth, glabrous; styles 1.25 mm long, ± free, erect or spreading, stigmas small, capitate, bifid, smooth. Male flowers: pedicels slender, 1–3 mm long; calyx tube 1.5 mm long; calyx lobes 2 × 1 mm, lanceolate, subacute, entire, terracotta; petals 5 × 2 mm, oblanceolate, rounded, becoming reflexed, glabrous, yellow; disk glands 5, free, minute, erect, turbinate, truncate; stamens 8, the 5 outer 5 mm long and fused for two fifths their length, the 3 inner 6 mm long and fused for two-thirds their length, filaments glabrous, anthers 1 mm long.

sex Female

Female flowers: pedicels c. 5 mm long, extending a little in fruit; calyx tube c. 2 mm long, lobes 3 × 1.25 mm, and extending a little in fruit, otherwise resembling the male; petals as in the male, but yellow-green; disk 5-lobed, the lobes short, broad and somewhat irregularly lobulate; ovary 2 × 2 mm, 3-lobed to subglobose, smooth, glabrous; styles 1.25 mm long, ± free, erect or spreading, stigmas small, capitate, bifid, smooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits c. 12 × 10–12 mm, 3-lobed to subcylindric, shallowly nervose and verruculose, glabrous; columella 7 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 9.5 × 5 × 4 mm, somewhat compressed ellipsoid-subcylindric, slightly shiny, olive-brown; caruncle 2 × 3–3.5 mm, hemispherical, 2-lobed, the lobes multifid, greyish-brown.