Breynia vitis-idaea
Breynia vitis-idaea
''Breynia vitis-idaea'', the officinal breynia, is a perennial tree-like species of Phyllanthaceae , found from India east to Taiwan and Okinawa and south to Indonesia. It is a shrub or treelet with egg-shaped leaves that can reach up to 3 m tall. It has staminate flowers and spherical, red fruit.
''Breynia vitis-idaea'' is pollinated by the leafflower moth ''Epicephala vitisidaea'' in Fujian, China and the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. The moth actively pollinates the flowers, but lays an egg into the space between the external carpel wall and the tepals. The moth caterpillars consume a subset of the tree's seeds, receiving nourishment in return.
It contains the saponin breynin and terpenic and phenolic glycosides. It is marketed in Taiwan as Chi R Yun.
''Breynia vitis-idaea'' is pollinated by the leafflower moth ''Epicephala vitisidaea'' in Fujian, China and the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. The moth actively pollinates the flowers, but lays an egg into the space between the external carpel wall and the tepals. The moth caterpillars consume a subset of the tree's seeds, receiving nourishment in return.
It contains the saponin breynin and terpenic and phenolic glycosides. It is marketed in Taiwan as Chi R Yun.