The

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

''Sauropus'', of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthaceae is a family of flowering plants in the eudicot order Malpighiales. It is most closely related to the family Picrodendraceae.Kenneth J. Wurdack and Charles C. Davis. 2009. "Malpighiales phylogenetics: Gaining ground on one of the ...

, comprises about 40

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...

s, shrubs or

subshrub A subshrub ( Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their ...

s, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be

monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy. Monoecy i ...

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproducti ...

. They are distributed in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

Malesia Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australasian realms, and also a phytogeographical floristic region in the Paleotropical Kingdom. It has been given different definitions. ...

and Australia.

Taxonomy

In a 2006 revision of the Phyllanthaceae, it was recommended that ''Sauropus'' be subsumed in ''Phyllanthus''; however, new combinations in ''Phyllanthus'' for former ''Sauropus'' species remain to be published.

Description

''Sauropus'' species have alternate, entire leaves with short petioles and small

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). Stipules are considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many speci ...

s. Flowers appear at axils and mainly form clusters. There are 6

perianth The perianth (perigonium, perigon or perigone in monocots) is the non-reproductive part of the flower, and structure that forms an envelope surrounding the sexual organs, consisting of the calyx (sepals) and the corolla (petals) or tepals when ca ...

segments divided in 2 whorls, with female flowers often having bigger perianths. At male flowers, the perianth is tube-like, with 3

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

. The fruit is berry-like, ovoid or globose, and fleshy.

Species include

*''

Sauropus albiflorus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus amabilis The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus amoebiflorous The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus androgynus ''Sauropus androgynus'', also known as katuk, star gooseberry, or sweet leaf, is a shrub grown in some tropical regions as a leaf vegetable. Its multiple upright stems can reach 2.5 meters high and bear dark green oval leaves 5–6 cm lon ...

'' - star gooseberry, katuk *'' Sauropus arenosus'' *''

Sauropus assimilis ''Sauropus assimilis'' is an extremely rare species of plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is a tree growing in wet evergreen forests in lowlands. Endemic to southwestern Sri Lanka, and only known from the Sinharaja Biosphere Reserve there, e ...

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Sauropus asteranthos The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus bacciformis The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus bicolor The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus brevipes The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus brunonis The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus convollerioides The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus crassifolius The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family (biology), family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Ma ...

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Sauropus discocalyx The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus ditassoides The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus garrettii The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus glaucus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

'' *'' Sauropus gracilis'' *''

Sauropus granulosus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus heteroblastus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus hirsutus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus hirtellus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus kerrii The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus macranthus ''Sauropus macranthus'', commonly known as pumpkin fruit, pumpkin bush or Atherton sauropus, is a rainforest tree from Asia, Malesia and north-east Queensland. It is listed as "vulnerable" under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Bio ...

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Sauropus ochrophyllus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus orbicularis The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus pauciflorus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus poomae The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus pulchellus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus quadrangularis The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus ramosissimus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus rimaphilus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus rhamnoides The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus rhytidospermus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus rigens The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus rostatus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus similis The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus spatulifolius The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus suberosus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus subterblancus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus thorelii The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus thyrsiflorus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

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Sauropus trachyspermus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Au ...

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Sauropus villosus The genus ''Sauropus'', of the family Phyllanthaceae, comprises about 40 species of herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with woody bases. These plants can be monoecious or dioecious. They are distributed in Southeast Asia, Malesia and Australi ...

Formerly placed here

Sauropus elegantissimus ''Breynia retusa'' is a species of plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. Distribution It grows naturally in Bangladesh, China, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia (peninsular), Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Réunion where it ...

'' has become ''

Breynia retusa ''Breynia retusa'' is a species of plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. Distribution It grows naturally in Bangladesh, China, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia (peninsular), Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Réunion where it ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5223395 Malpighiales genera