Jatropha curcas

van Welzen, P. C., Sweet, F. S. T. & Fernández-Casas, F. J., 2017, A revision of Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae) in Malesia, Blumea 62 (1), pp. 58-74 : 61-63

1. Jatropha curcas L. ― Fig. 1a , 2 ; Map 1

Jatropha curcas L. (1753) 1006; Blanco (1837) 759; (1845) 522; Miq. (1859) 392; Müll.Arg. (1866) 1080; Kurz (1877) 403; Blanco (1879) 160, t. 384; Hook.f. (1887) 383; Thell. (1908) 784; Pax (1910) 77, f. 30; Merr. (1917) 324; (1918) 229; (1923) 449; Gagnep. (1926) 324; McVaugh (1945) 283, f. 7, 8, 23; Corner (1951) 259,pl. 59;Backer & Bakh.f.(1963) 494; Airy Shaw (1972) 283;(1975) 137;(1982) 25; Mabb.(1983) 87;(1984) 442;Radcl.-Sm. (1987) 356;Grierson & D.G.Long (1987) 790; Philcox (1997) 85; Chantharaprasong & Welzen (2007) 344,f. 11A; Li Bingtao & M.G.Gilbert (2008) 268; Fern. Casas (2016) 5, f. 1-4, map 1. ― Manihot curcas (L.) Crantz (1766) 167. ― Jatropha acerifolia Salisb.(1796) 389, nom.superfl. ― Castiglionia lobata Ruiz & Pav. (1798) 277, nom. superfl. ― Curcas adansonii Endl.ex Heynh. (1846) 176 (see also Mabb. 1984: 435). ― Curcas indica A.Rich. (1850) 208, pro nom. nov., nom. superfl. ― Curcas curcas (L.) Britton & Millsp. (1920) 225, nom. inval. ― Curcas lobata (Ruiz & Pav.) Splitg. ex Lanj. (1931) 154, nom. superfl., comb. inval., in synon. ― Lectotype (designated by Radcliffe-Smith 1987): Linnaeus, Hort. cliff. (1737, published 1738) 445: Jatropha no. 3, Surinama, Jamaica, Brasilia. (Representative specimen in BM: http://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/collection-specimens/ resource/05ff2255-c38a-40c9-b657-4ccb55ab2feb/record/1565052).

Ricinus americanus [Rumph. (1743) 95, nom. inval.;] Mill. (1768) under Ricinus . ― Type: not indicated (See Thellung 1908: 784 for synonymy).

Ricinoides americana Garsault [(1764) t. 67, nom. nud.;] (1767) 51. ― Type: Not indicated.

Curcas purgans Medik. (1787) 119. ― Type: Not indicated.

Jatropha edulis Sessé (1794) 3. ― Type: M. Sessé Lacasta , J.M. Mociño , J.D. del Castillo & J.M. Maldonado 4233 (holo MA; iso F, US), Mexico.

Ricinus jarak Thunb. (1825) 23. ― Type: Not indicated.

[ Curcas drastica Mart. in Schrank & Mart. (1829) 50, nom. nud.] See Mabberley (1984) 442 for synonymy.

[ Jatropha moluccana Wall. (non L.) (1847) nr. 7799E, nom. nud.].

[ Jatropha condor Wall. (1847) nr. 7799F, nom. nud.].

Jatropha tuberosa Elliot (1859) 85. ― Type:Not indicated,grown in a garden. See Mabberley (1983) 87 for synonymy.

Jatropha yucatanensis Briq.(1900) 230; Pax (1910) 77. ― Type: Linden s.n., 1840 (holo G; iso F), Mexico, Yucatan.

Jatropha afrocurcas Pax (1909) 83;(1910) 79. ― Type: P. Jaeger 342 ( B? †), Deutsch-Ostafrika ( Tanzania), Sseke .

Shrubs to treelets, up to 7 m high, stem up to 15(–28) cm diam, many-branched; flowering twigs 4 –15 mm diam, ridged when dried, snapping easily, epidermis easily peeling, tan-coloured. Outer bark greyish green to grey, very rough; under bark green; inner bark light greenish cream to straw; exudate (whitish) pale translucent, watery to somewhat sticky sap; sapwood pink, white later; heartwood pulpy. Indumentum of simple, long villous or arachnoid hairs on various parts. Stipules very indistinct, ex- tremely early caducous, broadly ovate, c. 1 by 1.5 mm, densely villous hairy. Leaves: petiole 6.5–23 cm long, diam 0.5–5 mm, basally slightly thickened and triangular, above flat or glabrous to somewhat hairy; blade ovate to 3- or 5–(7-)palmatilobed, widest ± in middle, 7–17 by 6–16.5 cm, 0.7–1.5 times longer than wide, glossy, smooth, base emarginate to cordate, margin entire, often somewhat undulate, somewhat revolute, apex of central lobe acute to acuminate; lobes short, at most till half of leaf blade, ± triangular; upper surface dull to shiny dark green, usually glabrous, sometimes hairs along veins when young, leaving white dots as scars, lower surface dull light green, glabrous to more hairy than upper surface; venation palmate, 7 veins originating from base, basal 2 weakest developed, up to c. 7 veins along midrib, higher order veins reticulate. Inflorescences axillary compound cymes, often several per node, erecto-patent to patent, green, flowers at end of main axes pistillate, others staminate; peduncle 3.5–4.5 cm long, c. 1 mm wide; rachis 5–20 mm long, (sub)glabrous to villous to arachnoid; bracts elliptic, basal one up to 13 by 1.3 mm, becoming smaller towards top of inflorescence, margin entire, apex acute, (sub)glabrous to villous to arachnoid on both sides. Flowers cup-shaped, pale green to yellow to white, fragrant; pedicels up to 9 mm long, (sub)glabrous to villous to arachnoid, with an abscission zone, often subapical; calyx lobes basally connate, outside (sub)glabrous to hairy, inside glabrous; petals with margin entire, apex emarginate, outside glabrous, inside villous. Staminate flowers c. 9 mm diam; sepals ovate to ellipticoblong, 4–5 by 2–3 mm, margin entire, apex obtuse to acute; petals obovate-oblong, 7–8 by 2.5–3 mm, apex rounded; disc lobes vertically tongue-like, 1–1.2 by 0.4–0.5 mm, glabrous; stamens 10, outer 5 almost free or adnate to inner united 5, androphore up to 5 mm long, light green, free filaments up to 4 mm long, light green, anthers narrowly triangular, 1.6–1.7 by c. 0.5 mm, basally cleft, basifixed, extrorse opening with length slits, light yellow. Pistillate flowers c. 6 mm diam; calyx lobes ovate, 3.2–5 by 1.5–2.5 mm, margin entire, apex acute; petals long ovate, 6.2–7 by 2–3 mm, apex rounded; disc glands obtrapezoid, 0.9–1 by 0.8–1 mm; ovary ovoid, 2–3 by 1.7–2 mm, light green; style c. 0.5 mm long, green; stigmas green, filament-like, non-receptive part c. 0.5 mm long, anther-like, receptive part basi-dorsifixed, c. 1 mm long, apically split till halfway. Fruits long-ovoid, 2.3–3 by 1.8–2.5 cm, 6-grooved, surface rugged, glabrous, yellow when ripe, black when dried; wall up to 1 mm thick, opening loculicidally only; columella T-shaped, up to 2.2 cm long. Seeds ellipsoid but somewhat flattened dorsiventrally, with a slight sharp ridge on the inside, 16–19 by 10–12 by 8.5–9.5 mm, when dry dark wall bursting with small white dot- to stripe-like, mainly transverse openings; caruncle vestigial or poorly developed in a fold over the hilum.

Distribution ― Central and South America, Caribbean, widely introduced in Malesia.

Habitat & Ecology ― A culture follower, found near villages, on and along roads, in cultivated areas and grounds, in gardens, at landfills, near rivers in the shade, secondary/open grassland, open plains, in and around primary, disturbed and secondary forest, near the coast and on limestone hills; soil often sandy, clay-loam, loam, river beds with gravel and sand; once reported from rhyolite bedrock. Altitude: sea-level up to 800(–1200) m. Flowering and fruiting: throughout the year.

Vernacular names ― Malay Peninsula ( Corner 1951): Jarak, Jarak belanda, Jarak pagar (Malay). Sumatra: Djarak, Djira. Java: Jarak pagar (Malay). Borneo: Jarak (Malay) ; Tangan-tan- gan ( Brunei); Brunei: Jarigan-tangan. Philippines (mainly after Merrill 1923): Galúmbang (Pampángan); Kásla (Bisáya); Kirisól, Taba-tabá, Tañgan-tañgan-túba, Túbang-bakód (Tagálog); Tuban miyalad (Ifugao); Tuban bakod (Tagbanua); Tubang bakod (Tagkawayan); Tagumbáu, Tagumbau-na-puráu, Tauuá (Ilóko); Takumbau (Sambáli); Taua-tauá (Igorot, Ilóko), Túba (Bíkol, Igorot, Tagálog). Sulawesi: Jarah. Moluccas: Kadatao (Halmahera Island); Kai doean (Seram Island). Purgeernoot (Dutch); Physic nut (English).

Traditional uses (partly after Burkill 1935, Heyne 1950) ― Traditionally, J. curcas has many uses. The complete plant and almost every part of the plant has been found useful. The shrub is often an ornamental, usually used as hedges, but also as firewood. It is also planted to reforest hills and seasides, and in one part of Africa it is planted on graves. The bark is applied to snake-bites and bites of other animals as an antidote. The stem juice has piscicidal properties and is used to kill or stupefy fish. The juice is also used for the production of blue and red dye and medicinally it is applied against sprue ( Malaysia, Perak), dropped in wounds and even used by children to blow bubbles. The leaves are applied to wounds, are used to get rid of itches, and can be applied to bruises after being cooked. Also, rubbing them on the abdomen of children stimulates the intestines and a decoction of the leaves forms a cure for diarrhea, a remedy for coughs and a lotion for eczema and ulcers. While the mature leaves are toxic in larger quantities, the young leaves are sometimes eaten or used as flavouring in cooking. The seeds are used as a medicinal purgative and mashed they are applied to wounds as a styptic. In Guam (Marianas) the seeds are eaten in small quantities. In the USA they are also used for criminal poisoning. The seeds, when a wick is applied, are burned as lamps, just as the pressed oil, the latter is also used in soap production and can be used in wool spinning. It is said that rubbing the seed oil on your scalp stimulates hair growth, and energetic rubbing of the oil on a female abdomen will produce abortion. Philippines labels indicate that the plant (not which part) is used as a pain reliever and for fractures.

Modern uses and possible future uses (after Pandey et al. 2012) ― Jatropha curcas has recently caught wide attention as a biofuel plant. This is because the seeds have an oil content of around 30–40 %, the plant can grow on wasteland and marginal land unsuitable for food crops and is not a food crop itself.Also important is that the Jatropha bio-diesel is as good as petro-diesel. The fruit-hulls that are left can be used as bioactive compost. The cultivation for bio-diesel produces a seed cake as a by-product. This seed cake can be used as manure, but can also be used for biogas production through anaerobic digestion. The cultivation of J. curcas also has environmental benefits. It is a potential phytoremediator for polluted soil and a sequester of atmospheric carbon (to store it in the soil). It can also help to control soil erosion because it develops a deep taproot that can stabilize the soil. Also, new medical uses for J. curcas , which range from HIV- and tumor-suppressing properties of the water extract of the branches, to using the leaves against syphilis, have been found. The downside is that the species often escapes cultivation and can become an invasive species. In Malesia specimens are collected on all major islands, but there are no reports of negative aspects of invasiveness.

Figures

Map 1 Distribution in Malesia of Jatropha curcas L.

Fig. 1 Leaf shapes and flower details in Malesian Jatropha L. – J. curcas L.: a. Leaf. – J. integerrima Jacq.: b. Leaf. – J. multifida L.: c. Leaf. – J. podagrica Hook.: d. Leaf. – J. gossypiifolia L.: e. Habit; f. staminate flower; g. androecium with disc glands; h. pistillate flower; i. base of ovary with disc glands; j. fruit, k. columella; l. seed with apical caruncle (a: Bullock 879; b: Noerkas 62; c: Anonymous s.n., barcode L 0034581; d. M. Reekmans 7729; e–g: F.G. Dickason 8644; h, i: A.M. Huq & M.K. Mia 10498; j–l: A.H.M. Jayasuriya 1248; all L). — Drawing:Anita Walsmit Sachs, 2006.

Fig. 2 Jatropha curcas L. a. Terminal branchlet; b. abaxial surface leaf tip; c. detail of inflorescence; d. staminate flower; e. pistillate flower; f. fruit; g. seed, ventral side; h. seed, dorsal side; i. seed, lateral side (a, b: A. Ibáñez 2024; c-e: E.L. Ekman H­8156; f-i: M. Nee 41135; all MA). — Drawing: José María Pizarro Domínguez, 2006.