- Scientific Name: Jatropha gossypiifolia L.
- Ref: Sp. Pl.:1006. 1753
- Synonyms: Adenoropium gossypiifolium (L.) Pohl; Jatropha gossypiifolia var. typica Chodat & Hassl.; Manihot gossypiifolia (L.) Crantz
- English Common Name: bellyache bush, black physicnut, cotton-leaf physicnut
- Chinese Common Name: 棉叶珊瑚花 miányè shānhú∙huā, 棉叶麻风树/棉叶麻疯树 miányè máfēng∙shù, 棉叶膏桐 miányè gāotóng
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Genus: Jatropha
- Distribution: native to Mexico and tropical America; introduced in Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, Australia.
- Photo: 06/21/2009, South China Botanical Garden, Guangdong
Shrubs, to 3 m, monoecious. Stems erect, brown, sparsely to much-branched, woody-succulent, hirsute, glandular when young; short shoots absent; latex viscous, colorless. Leaves persistent or drought-deciduous, ± evenly distributed on long shoots; stipules persistent, 2.5–12 mm, filiform-divided, each segment ending in stipitate gland; petiole 3–14.5 cm, stipitate-glandular; blade cordate to ovate in outline, 4–18.2 × 4.2–13.4 cm, 3–5-lobed, base cordate, margins usually serrulate-denticulate or glandular-ciliate, rarely entire, apex acuminate, membranous, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy especially on veins; venation palmate. Inflorescences bisexual, terminal and subterminal, cymes; peduncle 2.5–10.5 cm; bracts 6–16 mm, margins entire, glandular-ciliate. Pedicels 1–2 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals distinct or connate to 1/4 length, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.2–2.5 × 2.5–4 mm, margins entire, apex round, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy, glandular-ciliate; corolla orange-red to purple, sometimes with lighter center, campanulate, petals connate 1/4–1/2 length, 3.5–5.5 × 1.8–3 mm, glabrous or sparsely hairy on 1 or both surfaces; stamens 8 in 2 whorls (5 + 3); filaments of each whorl connate 1/4–1/2+ length, outer whorl 1.4–3 mm, inner whorl 1.8–4 mm. Pistillate flowers resembling staminate, but sepals 2.5–4 × 1–1.7 mm; petals 4–6.5 × 2–3.5 cm; staminodes sometimes present; carpels 3; styles connate to 1/4 length, 1–2 mm. Capsules ellipsoidal, 1–1.2 × 0.8–1 cm, explosively dehiscent. Seeds gray-brown mottled with dark brown spots, ovoid, 6.5–7 × 3.8–4.5 mm; caruncle prominent. 2n = 22 (Mexico). (FNA Vol. 12)
