More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Flowers of Zihuatanejo
Bellyache Bush
Jatropha gossypiifolia
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Nances, Willows, and Allies (Order Malpighiales)
-Spurge Family (Family Euphorbiaceae)
-Subfamily Crotonoideae
-Tribe Jatropheae
-Physic Nuts (Genus Jatropha)
-Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia)
Jatropha gossypiifolia is a much-branched, somewhat succulent, deciduous to evergreen shrub growing up to 3 metres tall. Although poisonous, the plant is often used in traditional medicine, being harvested from the wild for local use. An attractive plant, it is often grown as an ornamental where it is valued in particular for its foliage, which is often tinted purplish or reddish, and for its dark red flowers.
Description
• Jatropha gossypiifolia, commonly known as bellyache bush, black physicnut, or cotton-leaf physicnut, is a shrub in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Its young leaves are often reddish-purple and sticky, becoming greener as they mature. The leaves are usually divided into three to five deep lobes with toothed or irregularly cut margins. Small red to purplish flowers grow in branched clusters, and the plant produces three-lobed capsules that turn brown as they mature. The seeds and other plant parts are toxic if ingested, and the milky sap may irritate the skin.
Range
• Jatropha gossypiifolia is native to tropical America, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. It has been introduced to many tropical regions worldwide, where it can become invasive. It is established in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• It grows in warm, sunny, seasonally dry environments, including tropical dry forest margins, scrub, roadsides, pastures, and disturbed ground. It tolerates drought and a range of soil conditions, often thriving in open areas with limited competition. Its ability to produce abundant seeds and establish in disturbed habitats contributes to its spread in some regions.