Pedilanthus tithymaloides

(L.) Poiteau

Slipper plant

EuphorbiaceaeFlowersSpice/BeveragePotential hazards — see below

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(c) Christian Grenier, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Flower nectar, Plant - tea

The flowers produce sweet juicy nectar which is eaten, and the plant can be made into tea.

Known Hazards

The roots, stems, and leaves of the plant are known to be toxic. These parts of the plant contain euphorbol (a complex terpene) and other diterpene esters. These are also known carcinogens. The plant's leaves and stems also contain beta-sitosterol, cycloartenone, octacosanol, and oxime, all of which have known medicinal as well as toxic properties. Even minor amounts (a few drops) of the juice of the Euphorbia tithymaloides root can irritate mucosal membranes. When ingested, the irritation of the mucosal membranes of the stomach and intestines will cause nausea and vomiting. Topical application causes skin irritation, inflammation, and even blisters. If introduced topically to the eye, severe pain, keratoconjunctivitis, and reduced visual acuity occur. Ingesting even a few seeds can cause violent and persistent vomiting and extreme diarrhea. If latex or root juice gets on the skin, the victim should immediately wash with soap and warm water. If latex or juice gets in the eye, continuous rinsing with fresh water should be the first course of action. Topical steroids are indicated for skin or eye contact. Intravenous fluids are often administered to counteract the fluid loss due to vomiting and diarrhea.

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant. It grows in drier tropical rainforest and open areas. It grows up to 700 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Asia, Australia, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Caribbean, Central America*, China, Costa Rica, East Africa, Fiji, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Guyana, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North America, Pacific, Rotuma, SE Asia, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tuvalu, USA, Venezuela, West Indies,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Antigua & Barbuda, Armenia, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Burundi, Brunei, Bolivia, Brazil, Bahamas, Bhutan, Belize, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Micronesia, Grenada, Georgia, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Haiti, Indonesia, Israel, India, British Indian Ocean Territory, Iraq, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Comoros, St Kitts & Nevis, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, St Lucia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Mongolia, Mauritius, Maldives, Malawi, Mexico, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nepal, Nauru, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, Peru, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Palau, Paraguay, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, Suriname, South Sudan, El Salvador, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tonga, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, St Vincent, Venezuela, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Samoa, Yemen

How to Identify

A succulent shrub. It grows 1.8 m tall. It has milky sap. It may or may not lose its leaves. The stems are fleshy and erect. They are zigzag in shape, bending at each node. The leaves are mid green and boat shaped. The leaves are 8 cm long. The flowers are like a group of laces and are red. The flowers are tube shaped and have red bracts.

How to Grow

It is grown from seeds or cuttings. It can be grown as a hedge.

Medicinal Uses

The root is known to be a powerful emetic. A proteolytic enzyme known as pedilanthain can be extracted from the plant's latex, and has been shown in experiments to be effective against intestinal worms and to reduce inflammation when ingested. In 1995, a galactose-specific lectin was purified from the plant's latex, and indications are that it might be useful in combatting diabetes mellitus. In folk medicine, tea has been brewed from the leaves which has been used to treat asthma, persistent coughing, laryngitis, mouth ulcers, and venereal disease. Tea brewed from the root has been used as an abortifacient. The latex has been used topically to treat calluses, ear ache, insect stings, ringworm, skin cancer, toothache, umbilical hernias, and warts. None of these uses has been scientifically verified as effective. In the West Indies, a few drops of the latex is added to milk and used as an emetic.

Other Information

It is sold in local markets in China. It is cultivated.

Notes

Used as a medicine in Indonesia. There are about 14 Pedilanthus species.

Names & Synonyms

Airi, Belati-sij, Birdflower, Devil's backbone, Gongaman, Japanese poinsettia, Kayek, Lakau toto, Nag-phani, Nagdaman, Pedilantus zig-zag, Pedong, Penawar lipan, Pohon sig-sag, Pokok lalipan, Redbird cactus, Sweetie, Tentulang jantan, Vilayti-sher, Yu dai gen

Euphorbia tithymaloides L.

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