Phyllanthus

Scientific name

Phyllanthus L.

Family

Phyllanthaceae

Similar genera

distinctive and rarely confused with any other genus

Native distribution

tropical and subtropical regions of the world

Species cultivated

Phyllanthus fluitans Benth. ex Muell. Arg.

Adventive distribution

Phyllanthus fluitans Benth. ex Muell. Arg. is introduced in Florida (United States).

Weed status

not usually weedy

Habit

small, free floating stem plantstem plant:
(n) (a term used in the aquarium and pond plant trade) having an elongate stem (as opposed to a compact stem)
; rarely attached and ascending

Brief description

Perennial, free floating, monoeciousmonoecious:
(adj) having separate male and female flowers on the same individual
. Roots numerous, red colored. Stem creeping horizontally, frequently fragmenting. Leaves alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
in a compact series, sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
orbicular, pubescentpubescent:
(adj) (1) covered with short, soft hairs; (2) bearing hairs
, venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
pinnatepinnate:
(adj) in the form of a feather; of, e.g., leaflets, lobes, or veins: arranged in two rows along an axis
, with regions between veins raised and swollen; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
, solitary. Flowers small, unisexualunisexual:
(adj) (of a flower) with either stamens (male) or pistils (female) but not both; consisting of only male or female flowers
, short-petiolate; perianthperianth:
(n) collective term for the calyx and corolla of a flower; also used for floral whorl(s) in which the calyx and corolla cannot be resolved; any of the leaves or bracts surrounding the sex organs of bryophytes
of 5-6 imbricateimbricate:
(adj) overlapping like shingles on a roof
segments, white. Berries red to green. Dispersal by seed and stem fragments.

Natural habitat

swamps and rivers, amongst other vegetation

Additional comments

Phyllanthus contains nearly 1,000 species worldwide, but only two are aquatic: the free floating P. fluitans from Central and South America, and the submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
, attached P. leonardianus from Zaire. Only P. fluitans is cultivated for aquaria and ponds, although rarely traded commercially.