447
Acalypha amentacea Roxb.
Synonym
|
:
|
Achyranthes spiciflora Burm.
|
Family
|
:
|
Euphorbiaceae
|
Local name
|
:
|
English- Beefsteak Plant
|
Flowering and fruiting period
|
:
|
October-May
|
Distribution
|
:
|
Native of Polynesia, widely cultivated as an
ornamental
|
Distribution in Kerala
|
:
|
All Districts
|
Habitat
|
:
|
Grown as ornamental plant
|
Endemic/Exotic
|
:
|
Exotic
|
Uses
|
:
|
The plant is grown as an
ornamental hedge, living fence and boundary marker.
|
Key botanical characters:
Monoecious, compact shrub; branchletstomentose,
puberulous later. Leaves alternate, elliptic to ovate, to 25 x 12 cm, base
cuneate, margin crenate-serrate, apex acuminate, glabrous except on veins,
5-nerved from base, bronzy-green-mottled with shades of red and purple;
petiole to 12 cm; stipules lanceolate, to1.5 cm. Staminate spikes axillary,
to 13 cm, pendulous, reddish, many-flowered. Flowers in the axils of minute
bracts. Perianth 4-lobed, axillary. Stamens 8-16. Pistillate spikes erect, to
9 cm, reddish, to 12-flowered. Flowers in the axils of foliaceous, 3-angular,
9-13-parted reddish bracts. Perianth 3-5-parted; lobes ovate-lanceolate,
acuminate. Ovary 3-lobed, pubescent without, 3-celled, with 1 ovule per cell,
on axile placentae; styles 3, united basally, fringed apically.
 |
||
