This is an Asian species of Phyllanthus (but it was also introduced to Jamaica); it has been confused with P. polyspermus.[5] In Vietnamese its name is phèn đen (sometimes diệp hạ châu mạng). It is also found in Northern Australia,[6] where the aborigines of the Moyle River area use the wood for firesticks and call it Mirrinymirriny.[7]
It is also found in abundance in the Terai areas of Uttar Pradesh (India) along the banks of ponds, which is called Sikati / Sikti सिकटी/सिक्टी in the local language.
Phyllanthus reticulatus is pollinated by several different species of Epicephala in East Asia. The adult moths pollinate the flowers but lay eggs in the P. reticulatus flowers' ovaries, where the emerging larvae consume some of the developing seeds.[8]
Phyllanthus reticulatus var. glaber (Thwaites) Müll.Arg.
P. r. reticulatus (see synonyms)
Description
Phyllanthus reticulatus is a shrub, sometimes partially scrambling and usually only up to 5 m high, with light reddish-brown or grey-brown with hairy stems when young, which become smooth with age. For a full description see Flora of China and the gallery below.
^Luo, S.X., H.-J. Esser, D. Zhang, and S. S. Renner. 2011. Nuclear ITS sequences help disentangle Phyllanthus reticulatus (Phyllanthaceae), an Asian species not occurring in Africa, but introduced to Jamaica. Systematic Botany 36(1): 99-104.
^Patricia Marrfurra McTaggart; Molly Yawalminny; Mercia Wawul; et al. (2014). "Ngan'gikurunggurr and Ngen'giwumirri plants and animals". Northern Territory Botanical Bulletin. 43: 166. WikidataQ106088130.
^Kawakita, A.; Kato, M. 2009. "Repeated independent evolution of obligate pollination mutualism in the Phyllantheae-Epicephala association." Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 276: 417–426.
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