About Phyllanthus urinaria L.
Phyllanthus urinaria L. is a summer annual plant that germinates from early summer to early fall, and requires warm soil and light to grow. It reaches a height of approximately 60 centimeters (2 feet), and bears small alternate leaves that resemble leaves of the genus Mimosa. These leaves are arranged in two rows; they are larger at the tip and smaller closer to the petiole. The species is suffruticose, meaning it is woody at the base and herbaceous in its upper portions. Its leaves close at night and open during the day. The minute, greenish white flowers grow in the leaf axils, hanging on short pedicels below the leaves. Numerous small, round, smooth green-red fruits form along the underside of the plant's erect, red stems. This species reproduces by seed, with seeds contained within green, wart-like fruits that attach to the underside of branches. Although native to Asia, Phyllanthus urinaria is now widely distributed across other regions of the world, including Mexico, Central America, South America, Australia, Africa, and the United States. It is a warm-season tropical or subtropical species that prefers average summer temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) and average winter temperatures above 0 °C (32 °F). It has been recorded growing in a wide range of habitats, including roadsides, disturbed lands, forests, cropland, and nurseries.
