Croton lobatus L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1005. 1753 (as lobatum). Astraea lobata (L.) Klotzsch, Arch. Naturgesch. (Berlin) 7: 194. 1841; S.P.Gaikwad, R.D.Gore & K.U.Garad in Rheedea 22(2): 131, ff. 1 - 2. 2012.

Herbs, branched, up to 70 cm high; young parts stellate-pubescent. Leaves digitately 3 – 5-lobed, petiolate, up to 10 cm long; segments oblanceolate or obovate, caudate-acuminate, narrowed to base, crenate to crenate serrate or serrulate along margins, stellate–pubescent or glabrescent on both surfaces, the central largest. Racemes axillary or terminal, up to 10 cm long. Male flowers: pedicels ca 1 mm long; sepals 5, elliptic, glabrous; petals 5, oblanceolate, glabrous, slightly shorter than sepals, stamens10 – 13. Female flowers: pedicels ca 1 mm long; sepals 5, linear, up to 5 mm long; stellate-pubescent outside, ciliate, with few glandular hairs along basal margins; petals linear-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, 2 - 4 x ca 1 mm, disc shortly 5-lobed, glabrous; ovary pubescent, setose, styles 3, free, bifid; Capsules 5 - 7 x 4.5 - 6 mm, setose and stellate-pubescent when young, glabrous at maturity.

Fl. & Fr. June – Sept.

Distrib. India: Roadsides and waste places. Maharashtra.

A native to tropical America, now widespread in North Africa and Tropical Arabia; Bangladesh.