Taxon:  Phyllanthus niruri L.



Summary
Genus:
Phyllanthus
Family:
Phyllanthaceae
Subfamily:
Phyllanthoideae
Tribe:
Phyllantheae
Nomen number:
28124
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:981.  1753
Verified:
08/24/2005 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
1 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Phyllanthus niruri L. subsp. lathyroides (Kunth) G. L. Webster (0 active accession[s])
Phyllanthus niruri L. subsp. niruri (0 active accession[s])
Phyllanthus niruri subsp. lathyroides (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Angely, J. A. 1965. Flora analitica do Parana.
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2 Note: = Phyllanthus lathyroides
  4. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
  5. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  6. Gillespie, L. J. 1993. Euphorbiaceae of the Guianas: annotated species checklist and key to the genera. Brittonia 45:56.
  7. Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
  8. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  9. Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
  10. Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 579.
  11. Howard, R. 1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 5:78.
  12. Jones, K. 1995. Cat's claw: healing vine of Peru. 117-120.
  13. Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
  14. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  15. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  16. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  17. Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
  18. Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana.
  19. Webster, G. L. 1957. A monographic study of the West Indian species of Phyllanthus. J. Arnold Arbor. 38:300.
  20. Webster, G. L. 1970. A revision of Phyllanthus in the continental United States. Brittonia 22:66.
  21. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishniruri  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Frenchderrière dos  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Frenchquinine créole  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanNiruri  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese (Brazil)arranca-pedra  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)arrebenta-pedra  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)erva-pombinha  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)fura-parede  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)fura-pedra  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)quebra-pedra  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)quebra-pedra-branca  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Spanishquinina criolla  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish (Peru)chancapiedra  2Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana.
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoSan Luis Potosí Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoSinaloa Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoTamaulipas Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouth-Central U.S.A.United StatesTexas Webster, G. L. 1970. A revision of Phyllanthus in the continental United States. Brittonia 22:66.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoChiapas Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoGuerrero Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoHidalgo Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoJalisco Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoMichoacán de Ocampo Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoNayarit Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoOaxaca Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoPuebla Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoQuerétaro Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoVeracruz de Ignacio de la Llave Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazil  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCaribbeanBarbados  Howard, R. 1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 5:78.
1NativeSouthern AmericaCaribbeanDominican Republic  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCaribbeanGuadeloupe  Howard, R. 1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 5:78.
1NativeSouthern AmericaCaribbeanHaiti  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCaribbeanMartinique  Howard, R. 1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 5:78.
1NativeSouthern AmericaCaribbeanUnited StatesPuerto Rico Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaBelize  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaCosta Rica  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaEl Salvador  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaGuatemala  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaHonduras  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaNicaragua  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaPanama  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaFrench Guiana  Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2 Note: = Phyllanthus lathyroides
1NativeSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaSuriname  Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2 Note: = Phyllanthus lathyroides
1NativeSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaVenezuela  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaBuenos Aires Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaChaco Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaCorrientes Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaEntre Ríos Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaJujuy Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaMisiones Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaSalta Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaTucumán Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaParaguay  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaUruguay  Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaBolivia  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaColombia  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaEcuador  Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeruAmazonas Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeruCajamarca Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeruCusco Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeruLoreto Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeruSan Martín Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Native
Northern America
  • SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
  • NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas]
  • SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán de Ocampo, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave]
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: Barbados, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, United States [Puerto Rico]
  • CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador
  • NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Suriname, Venezuela
  • BRAZIL: Brazil
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru [Amazonas, Cajamarca, Cusco, Loreto, San Martín]
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Buenos Aires, Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Jujuy, Misiones, Salta, Tucumán], Paraguay, Uruguay

Reference(s)
  1. Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2 Note: = Phyllanthus lathyroides
  2. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
  3. Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
  4. Howard, R. 1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 5:78.
  5. Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
  6. Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
  7. Webster, G. L. 1970. A revision of Phyllanthus in the continental United States. Brittonia 22:66.
  8. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Harmful organism hostcrop diseases Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 579.
Harmful organism hostcrop pests Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 579.
Medicinesfolklore Jones, K. 1995. Cat's claw: healing vine of Peru. 117-120.
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Weedseed contaminantpotentialHolm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=28124. Accessed 11 May 2026.