Croton caudatus Geiseler

Geiseler, E.F. (1807) Crotonis Monographium : 73. Type: India, Dr Rottler, Holo: C.

Vine stem diameters to 4 cm recorded. Blaze odour somewhat like that of pepper (Piper nigrum).

Leaf blades about 5-19 x 2.5-12 cm, petioles about 1-5.5 cm long. Underside of the leaf blade and leafy twigs densely clothed in pale stellate hairs. Usually 2 (sometimes 4) stalked glands visible on the underside of the leaf blade close to the junction with the petiole. Oil dots small and numerous, leaf blades 3-veined at the base. Stipules about 1 mm long.

Female flowers: Flowers borne on the basal portion of the raceme. Calyx lobes (tepals) about 3-3.5 mm long. Nectary glands opposite the tepals and look like much reduced petals except for their position. Staminodes about 10. Ovary densely clothed in pale clumped or branched hairs. Styles 3, each ending in two linear stigmas. Ovules 1 per locule (?)

Fruits globose, about 15 mm diam., surface densely clothed in short stellate hairs, sometimes interspersed with larger trichomes. Perianth remnants usually persistent at the base, while style remnants persistent at the apex. Seeds usually 3 per fruit, each seed about 10 x 8-10 mm. Testa clothed in stellate hairs. Embryo about 8-10.5 mm long. Cotyledons about 6-8 x 5 mm. Radicle straight, about 2.5-3 mm long.

Features not available.

Occurs in CYP. Known only from collections made in the Claudie River area. Altitudinal range probably quite small, most specimens collected close to sea level. Grows in gallery forest. Also occurs in Asia, Malesia and the Philippines.