Triadica sebifera
(L.) Small, Florida Trees 59. 1913 & Man. SE. Fl. 789. 1933; Esser in
Blumea 44: 204. 1999. Croton sebiferus L., Sp. Pl. 1004. 1753 (as 'sebifer'). Sapium sebiferum (L.)
Roxb. [Hort. Bengal. 69. 1814, nom. nud.] Fl. Ind., ed. Carey 3: 693. 1832; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5:
470. 1888.
Beng.: Bilati-sissoo, Manchina; Eng.: Chinese Tallow tree; Hindi: Vilaiti-sisham.
Shrubs to trees, 2 - 8 m high. Leaves transversely ovate, triangular, broadly rhombateovate to suborbicular, cuneate to broadly rounded at base, entire, acuminate at apex, 4 - 8 x 3 - 6 cm, glabrous, 3-nerved at base; lower surface whitish-papillate and a few submarginal glands; lateral nerves 8 - 10 pairs; petioles 2 - 6 cm long, 2-glandular at apex; stipules ca 1.5 mm long. Inflorescences simple or few-branched terminal racemes, 7 - 14 cm long. Male flowers: in 10 - 15- flowered fascicles, at the apical portion of the racemes; pedicels ca 1.5 mm long; calyx cupular, truncate or 3-lobed, ca 0.5 mm across; lobes ovate, acute; stamens 2 or 3; anthers longer than broad. Female flowers: 2 - 6 per thyrse, few or solitary at the base of racemes, on long pedicels; sepals 3, ovate, ca 2 mm long; ovary ovoid, ca 1.5 mm long, glabrous; styles 3, connate for half way, free above with recurved stigmata. Fruits depressed or rhomboid-globose, 3-lobed, 3- valved, 1 - 1.5 cm long, dark grey, glabrous; fruiting pedicels 6 - 15 mm long; seeds 3, depressedglobose, 6.5 – 8 mm in diam, enclosed in thick whitish wax-like persistent sarcotesta.
Fl. May - Aug.; Fr. Sept. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Cultivated in warmer regions for its different uses and sometimes naturalizing.
Native to China.
Uses. The wax surrounding the seeds is used for making candles. The leaves are used for making a black dye.
Shrubs to trees, 2 - 8 m high. Leaves transversely ovate, triangular, broadly rhombateovate to suborbicular, cuneate to broadly rounded at base, entire, acuminate at apex, 4 - 8 x 3 - 6 cm, glabrous, 3-nerved at base; lower surface whitish-papillate and a few submarginal glands; lateral nerves 8 - 10 pairs; petioles 2 - 6 cm long, 2-glandular at apex; stipules ca 1.5 mm long. Inflorescences simple or few-branched terminal racemes, 7 - 14 cm long. Male flowers: in 10 - 15- flowered fascicles, at the apical portion of the racemes; pedicels ca 1.5 mm long; calyx cupular, truncate or 3-lobed, ca 0.5 mm across; lobes ovate, acute; stamens 2 or 3; anthers longer than broad. Female flowers: 2 - 6 per thyrse, few or solitary at the base of racemes, on long pedicels; sepals 3, ovate, ca 2 mm long; ovary ovoid, ca 1.5 mm long, glabrous; styles 3, connate for half way, free above with recurved stigmata. Fruits depressed or rhomboid-globose, 3-lobed, 3- valved, 1 - 1.5 cm long, dark grey, glabrous; fruiting pedicels 6 - 15 mm long; seeds 3, depressedglobose, 6.5 – 8 mm in diam, enclosed in thick whitish wax-like persistent sarcotesta.
Fl. May - Aug.; Fr. Sept. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Cultivated in warmer regions for its different uses and sometimes naturalizing.
Native to China.
Uses. The wax surrounding the seeds is used for making candles. The leaves are used for making a black dye.
