Croton aromaticus
L., Sp. Pl. 1005. 1753; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 388. 1887; Chakrab. &
N.P.Balakr. in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 26: 200. 1984. C. laccifer L., Sp. Pl. 1005. 1753 (as ‘lacciferum’);
Gamble, Fl. Madras 2(7): 1315. 1925 (repr. ed. 2: 920. 1957).
Tam.: Teppadai, Vid-pune.
Shrubs or trees, 3 - 15 (-20) m tall; all parts (except old branches) tomentose or scabridpubescent (especially on upper surface of leaves and petioles) and shortly hirsute or pilose from erect central rays. Leaves narrowly to broadly ovate, elliptic to orbicular or obovate or oblong to lanceolate, rounded, cordate or sometimes subcuneate at base, subentire to denticulateserrulate margins, acute to acuminate or caudate at apex, 4 - 19 x 1.5 -10 cm, membranous to thinly coriaceous, strongly trinerved at base; lateral nerves 2 - 9 pairs; basal glands shortly stipitate or occasionally sessile; marginal glands present; petioles 0.5 - 5 cm long; stipules linear to filiform, 3 – 15 mm long. Inflorescences 6 - 15 cm long, sometimes purely male or female; bracts petaloid. Male flowers: pedicels 3.5 - 7 mm long; sepals (4 or) 5, ovate, elliptic to oblong, 2 - 3.5 x 1 - 2.5 mm; petals (4 or) 5, narrowly oblong to spathulate-oblanceolate, 2 - 3 x 0.8 - 2 mm; stamens 15 - 30, 2.5 - 4 mm long; anthers oblong, 0.7 - 1 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 1 - 4 mm long; sepals 5, elliptic, oblong to ovate, 1.8 - 4 x 1 - 3 mm; petals 5, filiform, 0.5 - 2.5 mm long; ovary subglobose, 2.5 - 4 mm in diam.; styles 3 - 5.5 mm long, usually twice bifid. Capsules subglobose, 8 - 14 mm in diam., shallowly 3-lobed, muriculate, scattered pubescent; pedicels 3 - 8 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Fairly common in evergreen, deciduous or open forests, along streams or river banks up to 900 m altitude. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Bark yields a lac, used in varnish making.
Shrubs or trees, 3 - 15 (-20) m tall; all parts (except old branches) tomentose or scabridpubescent (especially on upper surface of leaves and petioles) and shortly hirsute or pilose from erect central rays. Leaves narrowly to broadly ovate, elliptic to orbicular or obovate or oblong to lanceolate, rounded, cordate or sometimes subcuneate at base, subentire to denticulateserrulate margins, acute to acuminate or caudate at apex, 4 - 19 x 1.5 -10 cm, membranous to thinly coriaceous, strongly trinerved at base; lateral nerves 2 - 9 pairs; basal glands shortly stipitate or occasionally sessile; marginal glands present; petioles 0.5 - 5 cm long; stipules linear to filiform, 3 – 15 mm long. Inflorescences 6 - 15 cm long, sometimes purely male or female; bracts petaloid. Male flowers: pedicels 3.5 - 7 mm long; sepals (4 or) 5, ovate, elliptic to oblong, 2 - 3.5 x 1 - 2.5 mm; petals (4 or) 5, narrowly oblong to spathulate-oblanceolate, 2 - 3 x 0.8 - 2 mm; stamens 15 - 30, 2.5 - 4 mm long; anthers oblong, 0.7 - 1 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 1 - 4 mm long; sepals 5, elliptic, oblong to ovate, 1.8 - 4 x 1 - 3 mm; petals 5, filiform, 0.5 - 2.5 mm long; ovary subglobose, 2.5 - 4 mm in diam.; styles 3 - 5.5 mm long, usually twice bifid. Capsules subglobose, 8 - 14 mm in diam., shallowly 3-lobed, muriculate, scattered pubescent; pedicels 3 - 8 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Fairly common in evergreen, deciduous or open forests, along streams or river banks up to 900 m altitude. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Bark yields a lac, used in varnish making.
