Plants and mushrooms

Guatemala rhubarb

Common name		Guatemala rhubarb
Botanical name		Jatropha podagrica
Other common names		gout stick, gout plant; also known as coral plant or physic nut.
Family		Euphorbiaceae
General description		A deciduous ornamental often grown as a pot plant or in rockeries, this shrub has a thick gouty, swollen stem up to 60cm, often a few large leaves near the top of the plant.
Flowers		The flowers are very small and coral red in colour. Flowers throughout most of the year.
Leaves		The leaves are large, round, lobed and dark green, up to 30cm wide, with a wavy margin and a stout stalk attached on the underside of the leaf.
Fruit/Berries		The fruit are yellow, 3-angled, usually contain three seeds and are generally less than 2.5cm long.
Other		The sap is copious and clear. Contact with the sap can cause dermatitis.
Symptoms		The seeds are toxic, although the symptoms produced are not as severe as those associated with J.curcas. Symptoms can include abdominal pain and a burning sensation in the throat, followed by vomiting and diarrhoea.
Toxicity category		2, 3
Warning		For all ingestions seek urgent medical assistance.