Phyllanthus mirabilis
Species of flowering plant
| Phyllanthus mirabilis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Phyllanthaceae |
| Genus: | Phyllanthus |
| Species: | P. mirabilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Phyllanthus mirabilis | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Phyllanthus mirabilis is a flowering plant species in the family Phyllanthaceae, native to Southeast Asia, in Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.[2][3] It is one of only four Phyllanthus species to mature as a caudiciform—or a plant with a large, water-storing trunk—and one of only two caudiciform Phyllanthus to be formally described,[4] the other being P. kaweesakii.[5] Similar to other plant families, such as the Marantaceae (prayer plants), Phyllanthus are nyctinastic plants (i.e., the plant’s foliage "opens" with the daily sunrise and "closes" by dusk).[1]
Wild specimens are often found on sharp and jagged limestone (karst) formations or near-vertical cliffs, or growing as a lithophyte, with little organic matter in the substrate (if dirt is present at all).
Despite being endemic to the Southeast Asian tropics, in regions which experience intense annual monsoons and frequent precipitation, the limestone formations where Phyllanthus typically grow are steep, angled, and somewhat porous, making drainage during rainstorms nearly immediate, with little to no pooling at the base of the plant. For this reason, in cultivation, root rot may be a concern. This is easily avoided by not letting the plants sit in water ("wet feet") for extended periods; however, "bottom-watering", i.e. hydrating a potted plant from below instead of overhead irrigation, is still recommended. When dry, allow the plant to soak in a tray of water to gradually absorb exactly the amount of moisture it needs, usually taking an hour. Once the soil is noticeably moist, immediately remove the plant from the water and allow it to drain naturally.
Typically low-feeding plants, the plants will glean nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements, from the actual stone they are attached to, as well as the gradual accumulation of dead vegetation at the base of the plant, in a manner similar to epiphytes.[6]
References
- ^ a b "Phyllanthus mirabilis". www.llifle.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ Balakrishnan, N. P.; Gangopadhyay, M.; Chakrabarty, T. (January 2000). "Extension of range of five species in Euphorbiaceae". Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany. 24 (4). Jodphur, India: Scientific Publisher: 384. ISSN 0250-9768. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "Phyllanthus mirabilis Müll.Arg. Plants of the World Online Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Discovery: Phyllanthus Kaweesakii Pornp. (Chantar & J. Parn.), a Mirabilis Lookalike". Plantisuss. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ Pornpongrungrueng, Pimwadee; Parnell, John A. N.; Hodkinson, Trevor R.; Chantaranothai, Pranom (2 June 2017). "Phyllanthus kaweesakii (Phyllanthaceae), a new species from Thailand". Botany. doi:10.1139/cjb-2016-0298. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ Pranom, Chantaranothai (2005). "Taxonomic Notes on the genus Phyllanthus L. (Euphorbiaceae) in Thailand". Thai For. Bull. (Bot.). 33: 16–20. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
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