Stillingia Explained

Stillingia is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae, first described for modern science as a genus in 1767.^[1] The genus is native to Latin America, the southern United States, and various islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} Toothleaf is a common name for plants in this genus.

Medical use

Stillingia sylvatica was used by Native Americans for syphilis and as a cathartic, diuretic, laxative, and emetic.^[6] In large doses, it causes vomiting and diarrhea.

Taxonomy

Species include:

Many species formerly in Stillingia have been moved to other genera, including Actinostemon, Adenopeltis, Anomostachys, Balakata, Bonania, Ditrysinia, Excoecaria, Grimmeodendron, Gymnanthes, Homalanthus, Maprounea, Microstachys, Neoshirakia, Sapium, Sclerocroton, Sebastiania, Shirakiopsis, Spegazziniophytum, Spirostachys, and Triadica.

Notes and References

1. http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40006295 Tropicos, Stillingia Garden ex L.
2. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3618,3681 Jepson Manual Treatment
3. http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Stillingia Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution maps
4. Webster, G. L. & M.J. Huft. 1988. Revised synopsis of Panamanian Euphorbiaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 75(3): 1087–1144
5. Martínez Gordillo, M., J. J. Ramírez, R. C. Durán, E. J. Arriaga, R. García, A. Cervantes & R. M. Hernández. 2002. Los géneros de la familia Euphorbiaceae en México. Anales del Instituto de Biología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Botánica 73(2): 155–281
6. http://herb.umd.umich.edu/herb/search.pl?searchstring=Stillingia+sylvatica Native American Ethnobotany