Jatropha podagrica Hook.
Gout plant, gout stick, Buddha belly, Guatemala rhubarb, tartogo, goutystalk nettlespurge
Gout plant is a succulent native to the tropical portions of Central America, from Guatemala to Panama. It has become naturalized in other tropical regions throughout the world. It is a member of the euphorbia family.
Plants: Woody shrubs on caudexes (stalks)—can reach 6½′ (2 m) in natural settings. Grown as house plants, they do not exceed 3′ (91 cm). The stalks are knobby and water-swollen, sometimes very much so, hence the common name “Budda Belly.”
Leaves: Peltate, round to ovate, three- or five-lobed leaves are 6–9 ⨉ 3–7″ (14–22 ⨉ 8.5–19 cm), with wavy margins. Leaves are on stout petioles 6–11″ (16–28 cm) long. They are dropped during the winter.
Flowers: The blooms are the most distinctive, a bright orange/red/pink color that is so striking that it looks almost artificial. Each flower is about ¼″ (6.3 mm) across, with five red petals and a yellow center. The peduncles supporting the flowers match the color of the flowers.
Fruits: When the green seed pods ripen to brown, the pods explode, sending seeds up to 13′ (4 m). Pods are roughly spherical, about ½–¾″ (1.3–1.9 cm) in diameter. Seeds are dark to golden brown, oval, ¼–⅜ ⨉ ~3/16″ (9–11 ⨉ 5.5–6 mm).
Habitats: Tropical, arid locales, in well-drained soil.
Edibility: Poisonous 
Contains several toxic substances.
When cut, the plant exudes a white, sticky sap that causes dermatitis in some.
Online References:
7/2/2010 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (34 × 52 cm) 
10/4/2010 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm) 
10/17/2009 · Susan & Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) 
Seeds are about 1/4" long. · 5/16/2012 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland 
10/4/2010 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) 
10/4/2010 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) 
10/17/2009 · Susan & Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 5 × 4″ (12 × 10 cm) 
10/17/2009 · Susan & Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.1 cm) 
10/4/2010 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) 
10/17/2009 · Susan & Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 12 × 17″ (29 × 44 cm) 
10/17/2009 · Susan & Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 6 × 3½″ (14 × 9.5 cm) 
4/11/2011 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Maryland 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Malpighiales | A broad group encompassing 16,000 species |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | Euphorbia or spurge family |
| Genus | Jatropha | From Greek ἰατρός (iatros), “physician,” and τροφή (trophe), “nutrition,” hence the common name “physic nut” |
| Species | podagrica | Latin for “gouty,” for the swollen stem |
Jatropha podagrica description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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