Croton zeylanicus
Müll.Arg. in Linnaea 34: 107. 1865 & in DC., Prodr. 15(2): 581. 1866.
C. reticulatus B. Heyne ex Müll.Arg. in DC., Prodr. 15(2): 580. 1866 (non Willd., 1805); Hook.f.,
Fl. India 5: 386. 1887. C. hypoleucus Dalzell in Hooker's J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 3: 123. 1851 (non
Schlecht. 1847); Dalzell & A.Gibson, Bombay Fl. 231.1861.
Mar.: Panduray, Pondhari, Pandharisala.
Shrubs, often bushy or small trees, up to 3 m tall; all parts (except older branchlets and upper surface of leaves) densely silvery or coppery lepidote; branchlets slender. Leaves alternate but often subopposite or in false whorls separated by long bare internodes, narrowly elliptic to oblong or often ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, rounded, obtuse to acute at base, entire, caudate-acuminate or sometimes acute at apex, (3 -) 6 - 14 (- 20) x (0.5 -) 1.5 - 5 (- 8) cm, chartaceous to firmly membranous, evanescently stellate-pubescent above (when young), penninerved; lateral nerves 4 - 11 pairs; basal glands 2 – 4 (- 6), long-stipitate or rarely sessile; petioles 0.5 - 3 (- 4) cm long; stipules linear or subulate, 3 – 8 mm long. Inflorescences 3 - 8 cm long, rarely unisexual. Male flowers: pedicels (1.5 -) 3 - 7 mm long; sepals ovate to oblong-elliptic, 1.5 - 3.5 x 1 - 2 mm; petals spathulate-obovate to oblong, 1.8 - 3 x 1 - 2 mm; stamens 10 - 23, 2.5 - 3.5 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 2 - 4 mm long; sepals (4 or) 5, narrowly elliptic-oblong to oblanceolate, 3 - 6.5 x 1 - 2 mm, often slightly accrescent; petals 0 - 5, linear or oblanceolate, 1 - 2 mm long; ovary subglobose, 2 - 3.5 mm in diam.; styles up to 1 cm long, twice or thrice bifid above. Capsules globose, shallowly 3-lobed, 1 - 1.2 cm in diam.; sepals 5 - 10 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Western Ghats, in evergreen moist rain forests or open areas in forests and scrubs, on clayey or red gravelly soil, between 700 to 1500 m altitudes. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Bark is bitter and stomachic.
Shrubs, often bushy or small trees, up to 3 m tall; all parts (except older branchlets and upper surface of leaves) densely silvery or coppery lepidote; branchlets slender. Leaves alternate but often subopposite or in false whorls separated by long bare internodes, narrowly elliptic to oblong or often ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, rounded, obtuse to acute at base, entire, caudate-acuminate or sometimes acute at apex, (3 -) 6 - 14 (- 20) x (0.5 -) 1.5 - 5 (- 8) cm, chartaceous to firmly membranous, evanescently stellate-pubescent above (when young), penninerved; lateral nerves 4 - 11 pairs; basal glands 2 – 4 (- 6), long-stipitate or rarely sessile; petioles 0.5 - 3 (- 4) cm long; stipules linear or subulate, 3 – 8 mm long. Inflorescences 3 - 8 cm long, rarely unisexual. Male flowers: pedicels (1.5 -) 3 - 7 mm long; sepals ovate to oblong-elliptic, 1.5 - 3.5 x 1 - 2 mm; petals spathulate-obovate to oblong, 1.8 - 3 x 1 - 2 mm; stamens 10 - 23, 2.5 - 3.5 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 2 - 4 mm long; sepals (4 or) 5, narrowly elliptic-oblong to oblanceolate, 3 - 6.5 x 1 - 2 mm, often slightly accrescent; petals 0 - 5, linear or oblanceolate, 1 - 2 mm long; ovary subglobose, 2 - 3.5 mm in diam.; styles up to 1 cm long, twice or thrice bifid above. Capsules globose, shallowly 3-lobed, 1 - 1.2 cm in diam.; sepals 5 - 10 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Western Ghats, in evergreen moist rain forests or open areas in forests and scrubs, on clayey or red gravelly soil, between 700 to 1500 m altitudes. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Bark is bitter and stomachic.
