Vasilis Teodoridis:
Euphorbiaceae | Breynia
4. Breynia fruticosa (Linnaeus) Müller Argoviensis in A. Candolle; Prodr. 15(2): 237. 1866.
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Andrachne fruticosa Linnaeus; Sp. Pl. 2: 1014. 1753; Melanthesa chinensis Blume; M. glaucescens Miquel; Melanthesopsis fruticosa (Linnaeus) Müller Argoviensis; M. lucens (Poiret) Müller Argoviensis; Phyllanthus lucens Poiret; P. turbinatus Sims.
Erect shrubs 1-3(-5) m tall; glabrous throughout; stem gray-brown; branches compressed at upper part; purple; branchlets green. Stipules triangular-lanceolate; ca. 2 mm; petiole 3-4 mm; leaf blade ovate; broadly ovate; or rhombic-ovate; 3-7 x 1.8-3.5 cm; leathery; abaxially pruinose-green; adaxially dark green; base obtuse or acute; apex (obtuse or) acute to subacuminate; lateral veins 3-8 pairs. Flowers small; solitary or 2-4-flowered in axillary clusters; male in proximal axils; female in distal axils; sometimes male and female apart; inserted in different branchlets. Male flowers: pedicels 2-3 mm; calyx turbinate; ca. 2 mm; thickened; 6-dentate at apex; stamens 3; connate into a column. Female flowers usually several per axil; pedicels ca. 2 mm; calyx campanulate; shallowly 6-fid at apex; ca. 4 mm in diam.; sepals subequal; subtruncate and apiculate at apex; much enlarged in fruit to ca. 8 mm in diam.; upper part radial-spreading into disk; ovary ovoid; stigmas 3; to ca. 0.6 mm; distinctly bifid at apex; lobes recurved; elongating in fruit to 1-2 mm. Fruiting pedicel ca. 5 mm; capsules globose; 5-6 x 6-8 mm; apex rounded; without apical rim; yellowish to orange; stigmas free; undivided or apically slightly bifid. Seeds 4.6-5 x ca. 3 x 3 mm; red. Fl. year-round; fr. May-Dec.
Montane slopes; scrub; sunny forest margins; 100-1000 m. Fujian; Guangdong; Guangxi; Guizhou; Hainan; Sichuan; Yunnan; Zhejiang [Laos; Thailand; Vietnam].
The roots and leaves are used as medicine for inflammation of intestine and stomach; sore throat; eczema; etc. The branches; leaves; and stem contain up to 12% tannins.