Emblica urinaria (L.) R.W. Bouman

Chamber Bitter; Gripeweed; Peewater Leaf Flower

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Chamber Bitter is an introduced herbaceous annual in the Leaf Flower family (Phyllanthaceae). It is probably native to Asia, but is now found worldwide in tropical and sub-tropical areas. In can be found throughout Alabama. Chamber Bitter occurs in flower beds, in gardens, in lawns, on roadsides, and in other disturbed areas. It is an annual with a taproot. The stems are erect, slightly angled but not winged, glabrous, and green or reddish-brown in color. The vertical stems have phyllanthoid branches (horizontal, flower-bearing stems) that resemble pinnately compound leaves. The leaves on the main stem are small and scale-like. Those on the branches are well-developed, oblong or obovate in outline, minutely pubescent near the margins on the lower surface, glabrous on the upper surface, with minutely pubescent margins. The leaves are sensitive to tough and will fold like the leaflets of sensitive briar. The leaves are subtended by auriculate stipules. Flowers are solitary or in cymules in the axils of the leaves, proximal with 1 pistillate flower, distal with 5–7 staminate flowers. Staminate flowers have 6 white sepals and 3 stamens. Pistillate flowers have 6 yellow or green sepals and an unlobed annular nectary. The fruit is a tuberculate capsule. Chamber Bitter is an aggressive weed that was first reported in the United States in 1940. It begins to fruit when very young, and is difficult to eliminate once established. Chamber Bitter has an extensive history of use in folk medicine for treating a wide variety of ailments.—A. Diamond.

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Not Native FAC (NWPL)

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