Home | > | List of cultivated families | > | Euphorbiaceae | > | Aleurites | > | moluccana |
Synonyms: |
Jatropha moluccana L. |
Common names: | Candle-berry tree (English) Candlenut tree (English) Varnish tree (English) |
Description: | Tree up to 10 m tall. Young shoots, inflorescences and petioles brown-stellate-tomentose. Leaves ovate, 3-5-veined from the base, entire or up to 5-lobed with a pair of discoid sessile glands at the base of the lamina; petiole 6-22 cm long. Inflorescences broadly conical. Petals 6-8 mm, yellowish-white. Fruit up to 4 × 5.5 cm, shallowly 2-lobed and with 4 ridges. |
Notes: | The species has been included on the basis of recent evidence that it has become naturalized in the Chirinda Forest. Trees of various ages and sizes were seen and young, apparently self-seeded plants were found around the camp site and chalets. Leistner (2000, 2005) refers to the possibility of its escaping in South Africa and tropical Africa respectively. When not in flower it is similar to species of Vernicia both of which are also known to escape in Zimbabwe. |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Tropical Asia from India and China to Polynesia and New Zealand |
Growth form(s): | Tree. |
Insects associated with this species: | Micraphe lateritia (Larval foodplant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Image last updated: | Thursday 9 May 2019 |
Literature: |
Biegel, H.M. (1977). Check-list of ornamental plants used in Rhodesian parks and gardens. Rhodesia Agricultural Journal. Research Report No. 3. Page 20. Drummond, R.B. & Mapaure, I. (1994). List of Flowering Plants and ferns [of Chirinda Forest] In Chirinda Forest - A Visitor Forestry Commission, Harare Page 141. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 200 - 202. (Includes a picture). |
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