This plant originates from tropical Africa and is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, America, the West Indies, and the Pacific Islands. In Indonesia, it is often planted as a hedge and ornamental plant, and has been used by the community as a traditional medicine, including for treating fractured bones. The plant's sap (latex) contains compounds like euphorbone, taraxasterol, α-lactucerol, euphol, and resin compounds, which are capable of treating wounds caused by being pierced by thorns or glass

The Patah Tulang plant prefers open locations with direct sunlight and grows in areas up to an altitude of 2,000 m a.s.l.. It can adapt to regions with rainfall between 250–500 mm/year and an annual temperature range of 21–28ºC. This species thrives in almost all soil types with a pH of 6–8.5.

• The root system is fibrous, becoming elongated and woody when mature.

• The stem is green, and the stalk branches in a two-way (dichotomous) manner after growing about one palm-span, continuing this pattern so that it appears like broken or fractured branching. The stem contains a milky, poisonous sap (latex).

• The leaves are found at the tips of young twigs, are small, lanceolate (lance-shaped), and shed quickly.

• The flowers are at the stem tips, are compound, arranged like a cup (cyathium), and are greenish-yellow.

• The fruit (when ripe) will burst and expel the seeds.

• Propagation is done vegetatively (by stem cuttings).

• Cut the base of the plant segment and peel the bark slightly for about 10 cm. Plant it in the growing media.

It is antidiabetic, antibacterial, and used as a remedy for diarrhea, gastrointestinal infections, fungal skin infections, body aches (pegal linu), reducing fever, hypertension, treating hemoptysis (coughing up blood), canker sores (sariawan), rheumatism, inflammation, and swelling.

Euphorbone, taraksasterol, α-laktucerol, euphol, caoutchouc, terpene (cyclotirucaneol, cycloeuphordenol, tirucalicine, tirucaligine, euphorginol, euphorcinol), saponin, tanin, senyawa fenolik.