痲瘋樹屬落葉喬木或灌木，原產中、南美洲熱帶地區。全株含半透明狀白色乳汁。樹皮灰白，薄而易剝落。互生闊心形葉，多叢生於枝條先端，全緣或3~5淺裂或角稜狀。花小，白色或淡黃色，雌雄異花同株，呈頂生及腋生的聚繖花序排列，雌花無花瓣，花期4~6月。蒴果長橢圓形，先端圓鈍，乾燥後裂開，內有種子1~3粒。種子長橢圓形，黑褐色。果期9~12月。

A deciduous tree or shrub in the genus Jatropha, native to tropical regions of Central and South America. The whole plant contains translucent white fluid. Bark gray, thin and easily exfoliated. Leaves alternate, broadly heart-shaped, mostly tufted at the apex of the branches, entire or with 3 to 5 lobes or angular-ribbed. Flowers small, white or pale yellow, monoecious, arranged in terminal and axillary cymes. Female flowers without petals, flowering from April to June. Capsule oblong, apex rounded and obtuse, dehiscent after drying, with 1-3 seeds. Seeds oblong and dark brown. Fruiting from September to December.

全日照環境，性喜高溫，具有耐旱性。栽培土質以火山風化土及沖積土最佳，紅壤土次之，土壤需排水良好。以種子繁殖為主，亦可扦插或高壓繁殖。

The plant normally grows in full sun conditions and prefer high temperature; with drought tolerance. Grown best in volcanic weathered soil and alluvial soil, followed by red soil; good drainage is required. Mainly grown from seeds, followed by cuttings and air layering.

可作庭園景觀樹、綠籬。種子榨油，可供點燈、製肥皂。熱帶乾燥地區推廣種植，作為提煉生質柴油用。根及果實可入藥，但全株有毒，需慎用。

Grown as garden ornament trees and hedges. The oil extracted from the seeds can be used to light lamps and make soap. This tree species is now widely planted in tropical dry areas for the purpose of refining biodiesel. The roots and fruits have medicinal properties, but the whole plant is poisonous, advised to use with caution.