Paracroton
Miq.
Trees, stellate hairy or lepidote. Leaves alternate, penninerved; petioles slightly pulvinate
at base and apex, biglandular at apex; stipules triangular to subulate. Male inflorescences
terminal and axillary, rarely leaf-opposed, narrowly thyrsoid, mostly elongated, pendulous;
flowers fasciculate or on short densely bracteate cymules, fragrant; calyx cupular, 5-lobed;
lobes imbricate in bud, dorsally appendiculate; appendages knob-like or produced and hornlike;
petals 5, free, but coherent along imbricate margins, white; disc glands 5, 7 or 10; stamens
12 - 32, the outer free, the inner united; anthers extrorse, dorsifixed; connectives broad; pistillode
absent. Female inflorescences terminal, thyrsiform, practically racemose; main rachis unbranched
or with a few elongated branches; flowers solitary, 2 or 3 together at each node; calyx as in male,
5-lobed; lobes dorsally appendiculate (all or 1 - 2) as in male; petals 5, coherent along margins,
glabrous, deciduous; disc annular, lobed, pilose at apex; ovary 3-locular; ovules one in each
locule; styles 3, erect or recurved, bifid. Fruits capsular, globose or slightly depressed, 3-
locular; seeds suborbicular, large.
Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines, 4 species; 2 in India.
Literature. BALAKRISHNAN, N. P. & T. CHAKRABARTY (1993). The genus Paracroton (Euphorbiaceae) in the Indian subcontinent. Kew Bull. 48: 715 - 726, ff. 1 - 3.
Notes. The generic name Fahrenheitia Reichb.f. & Zoll. ex Müll.Arg. used in most recent floras of Indian region, is invalid as it was published as nomen provisorum by Reichb.f. & Zoll. in 1857. The next published name for the genus, Paracroton Miq. (1859) is to be used as discussed by Balakrishnan & Chakrabarty (l. c.).
Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines, 4 species; 2 in India.
Literature. BALAKRISHNAN, N. P. & T. CHAKRABARTY (1993). The genus Paracroton (Euphorbiaceae) in the Indian subcontinent. Kew Bull. 48: 715 - 726, ff. 1 - 3.
Notes. The generic name Fahrenheitia Reichb.f. & Zoll. ex Müll.Arg. used in most recent floras of Indian region, is invalid as it was published as nomen provisorum by Reichb.f. & Zoll. in 1857. The next published name for the genus, Paracroton Miq. (1859) is to be used as discussed by Balakrishnan & Chakrabarty (l. c.).
KEY TO THE SPECIES
| 1a. Leaves entire; male inflorescences short, up to 30 cm long; stamens 12 - 16; fruitsca 2 cm in diam. | 1. Paracroton integrifolius |
| b. Leaves dentate or serrate; male inflorescences longer, 40 - 65 cm long; stamens 14- 32; fruits ca 3 cm in diam. | 2. Paracroton pendulus |
