Hermit’s Tea
Acalypha siamensis

Family: Euphorbiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

There are over 450 Acalypha species. They are tropical. There are 225 in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in dry evergreen forests on sandy soil. It grows between 100-400 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The leaves are dried then used to make tea.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or by cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Akalifa siam, Chah ru-si, Laphet-nyo, Tae prei, Teh hutan, Teh kampong, Tumput

Synonyms

Acalypha evrardii Gagnep.; Acalypha sphenophylla Pax & K.Hoffm.; Acalypha fruticosa Ridley;