Jatropha podagrica (Gout plant)

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Jatropha podagrica Hook.

Gout plant, gout stick, Buddha belly, Guatemala rhubarb, tartogo, goutystalk nettlespurge

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Malpighiales	A broad group encompassing 16,000 species
Family	Euphorbiaceae	Euphorbia or spurge family
Genus	Jatropha	From Greek ἰατρός (iatros), “physician,” and τροφή (trophe), “nutrition,” hence the common name “physic nut”
Species	podagrica	Latin for “gouty,” for the swollen stem

About plant names...

Gout plant is native to the tropical portions of Central America, from Guatemala to Panama. It has become naturalized in other tropical regions throughout the world. It is a member of the euphorbia family.

Identification: Reaches 18-36" (45-91 cm) in height. The stems are swollen and knobby. Large, three-lobed leaves are dropped during the winter. When seeds ripen, the pods explode, sending seeds several feet. Pods are roughly spherical, about ½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm) in diameter. The blooms are the most distinctive, a bright orange/red/pink color that is so striking that it looks almost artificial. Each flower is about ¼" (6.3 mm) across, with five red petals and a yellow center. The stalks supporting the flowers match the color of the flowers.

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones Contains several toxic substances.