Volume 8 > Part 1 > Year 2005 > Page 26 > Euphorbiaceae > Acalypha

3. Acalypha hispida Burm.f.wfo-0000950668

Fl. Ind.: 303, t. 61, fig. 1. 1768; Müll.Arg. in DC., Prodr. 15(2): 815. 1866; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 417. 1887; Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV. 147. xvi: 140. 1924; Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 1: 489. 1963; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 26: 206. 1972: Kew Bull. Add. Ser. 8: 18. 1980; L.M. Perry, Med. Pl. E & SE Asia: 136. 1980; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 37: 3. 1982; Long, Fl. Bhutan 1(3): 797. 1987; Keng, Concise Fl. Singapore: 105. 1990.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Shrub, 1–3 m high, possibly dioecious; branches terete, lenticellate, pubescent when young. Stipules triangular, 5–8 mm long, margin serrate or entire, pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2–11 cm long, pubescent; blade ovate or broadly ovate, 7(–11) by 1–3.5(–5) cm, coriaceous, base retuse or obtuse, margin crenulate-serrate, apex acute or acuminate, hispid on both surfaces, nerves in 5–7 pairs. Inflorescences solitary, with only pistillate flowers, axillary, pendulous, (10–)15–35 cm long, flowers densely set, rachis not visible. Staminate flowers unknown. Pistillate flowers 3–8 per node; bracts minute, ovate, 0.5–1 by 0.3–0.5 mm, margin entire, pubescent outside; sepals 3, ovate, 0.7–1 by 0.3–0.5 mm, pubescent outside; ovary subglobular, 1–1.5 mm in diam., tomentose; stigmas dark red, 3–6 mm long. Fruits unknown.

Thailand : Cultivated.

Distribution : India (type), Malay Peninsula, New guinea.

Ecology : Cultivated as ornamental, only pistillate plants known.

Vernacular : Kiao klao (เกี้ยวเกล้า), mai phrom (ไหมพรม)(Northern); hang krarok daeng (หางกระรอกแดง)(Bangkok); hang maeo (หางแมว)(Central); hu plachon (หูปลาช่อน)(Ratchaburi).

CommonName : Chenille plant, Red hot cat’s tail.

Uses: The roots, leaves and flowers are used as medicinal plants.