Common Name:
physicnut
Family Name:
Euphorbiaceae
Botanical Name:
Jatropha cuneata
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Jatropha cuneata is a dioecious, perennial woody-succulent shrub that typically reaches heights of up to 2 meters (6.5 ft) (1, 3, 4). It has heavily branched, spreading stems that are yellow to yellow-brown or gray in color, glabrous, and exude watery yellow latex in young shoots and red latex in older growth (1, 4). The stems are thick and flexible, with short shoots commonly present. The deciduous leaves are typically absent for much of the year and appear in fascicles on short shoots. Leaves are simple, obovate-spatulate, and range from 0.7-1.9 cm (0.27-0.74 in) long and 0.3-0.9 cm (0.12-0.34 in) wide, with entire margins and glabrous surfaces. They are unlobed or shallowly 3-lobed on active shoots, with pinnate or palmate venation (1, 2, 4). White, cream, or pale- yellow flowers appear from May through August in the desert southwest, borne either solitarily or in cymes on short shoots (1, 3, 4). The species is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Staminate flowers have 10 stamens in two whorls with tubular-urceolate petals, while pistillate flowers are smaller and have a single carpel (4). Fruits are spherical capsules 0.9-1.1 cm (0.34-43 in) that dehisce tardily. Seeds are dark to golden brown, about 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter, round, and lack a caruncle (4).
Compound:
Jat cun
Geographic Origin:
Baja California
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
Jatropha cuneata is native to the southwestern United States (restricted to southern Arizona) and widely distributed across western and Baja California, Mexico (1, 3). In Arizona, it occurs in Pima and Yuma Counties, particularly in protected desert regions such as Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (1, 3). It inhabits dry, rocky limestone mesas, sandy slopes, bajadas, and other arid desert terrains at elevations from 0 to 800 meters (approx. 0–2,600 ft) (1, 2, 3, 4). Its rarity in the U.S. contrasts with its more common distribution in Mexico. The genus Jatropha consists of herbs, subshrubs, shrubs, or trees, with about 14 species in the southwestern U.S. and 188 accepted species worldwide (1). The name Jatropha comes from Greek “iatros” (physician) and “trophe” (nourishment), suggesting traditional medicinal value. The species name cuneata derives from Latin for “wedge-shaped,” referencing the tapered leaf shape (1).
Cultivation Notes:
Jatropha cuneata thrives in full sun and well-drained soils typical of arid and semi-arid regions. It is drought-tolerant once established and adapted to poor, rocky, or sandy soils (1, 2, 3). This spineless shrub is common in its natural habitat but has limited ornamental or cultivation use outside native settings.
Ethnobotany:
Among the Seri people of Sonora, Mexico, the flexible stems of Jatropha cuneata have been traditionally used in basketry (1). While specific medicinal uses for this species were not cited, related Jatropha species are known for their traditional applications, often involving latex or oil. The latex from the plant is visually distinctive, yellow when fresh and red with age, and may have cultural or functional significance (1, 4). A related species, J. spathulata, is cited to be used medicinally and for their tough, flexible stems (1).
Height:
6 - 10 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
Cream
Function:
Habitat
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
