Euphorbiaceae

Native: China (South Yunnan) to Tropical Asia and Caroline Islands.

Systematic Position

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Streptophyta

Order: Malpighiales

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Common Names

English –  Laping Budak

Malayalam –  

Description: It is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching a height of about 2-7m. Leaves with petiole petiole 22-50cm long and 6-14cm wide, leaf margin serrulate, apex acuminate. Flowers are unisexual in spikate or thyrsiform inflorescence. Male inflorescences are about 15-22cm long and female inflorescences are about 3.5-6cm long.  Fruit a capsule that is 3-lobed, with about 1.5 cm in diameter.

Distribution:  Cambodia, NE India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam, Africa, Australia, etc.

Uses: The bark is used against toothache. The young leaves are used as vegetable. Young leaves are used to make sauce, steamed leaves are eaten as vegetable.