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Croton pseudopulchellus Pax [family EUPHORBIACEAE]
Date Updated: 26 July 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 4, (1996) Author: A. Radcliffe-Smith
Names
Croton pseudopulchellus Pax [family EUPHORBIACEAE], in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 34: 371 (1904). —Hutchinson in F.T.A. 6, 1: 757 (1912). —Prain in F.C. 5, 2: 417 (1920). —Engler, Pflanzenw. Afrikas (Veg. Erde 9) 3, 2: 47 (1921). —Burtt Davy, Fl. Pl. Ferns Transvaal: 302 (1932). —Hutchinson, Botanist in Southern Africa: 667 (1946). —Brenan, Check-list For. Trees Shrubs Tang. Terr.: 204 (1949). —Topham, Check List For. Trees Shrubs Nyasaland Prot.: 50 (1958). —Keay in F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 1, 2: 394 (1958). —Dale & Greenway, Kenya Trees & Shrubs: 192 (1961). —White, F.F.N.R.: 196 (1962). —Mogg in Macnae & Kalk, Nat. Hist. Inhaca Isl., Moçamb., rev. ed.: 147 (1969). —Drummond in Kirkia 10: 252 (1975). —K. Coates Palgrave, Trees Southern Africa, ed. 2, rev.: 418 (1983). —Radcliffe-Smith in F.T.E.A., Euphorb. 1: 137 (1987). —Beentje, Kenya Trees, Shrubs Lianas: 193 (1994). Type from Kenya (Coast Province).
Croton pulchellus [family EUPHORBIACEAE], sensu Müll. Arg. in De Candolle, Prodr. 15, 2: 572 (1866), pro parte, quoad specimen Kirk (1859). —Schinz & Junod in Mém. Herb. Boissier, No. 10: 47 (1900). —Topham, Check List For. Trees Shrubs Nyasaland Prot.: 50 (1958), non Baill.
Information
A much-branched shrub, or small tree up to 5 m tall, monoecious or dioecious.Bark smooth, brownish-grey, later becoming roughened.Wood hard.Young twigs densely silvery-lepidote and rusty-flecked.Stipules minute, obscured by the scales.Petioles 0.1–2(4) cm long.Leaves aromatic when crushed, whorled or subopposite; blades 1–8 × 0.5–4 cm, suborbicular-elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate to emarginate at the apex, entire, cuneate to rounded at the base, with a pair of minute sessile discoid basal glands on the under surface often obscured by scales, firmly chartaceous, glabrous or minutely stellate-pubescent and bright or dark green on upper surface, densely silvery-lepidote and rusty-flecked beneath; midrib often impressed above, prominent beneath, lateral nerves in 4–10 pairs, not or scarcely prominent above, invisible beneath.Racemes 0.5–2 cm long, abbreviated and often apparently umbellate, terminal, androgynous, all male or all female; bracts minute, scale-like.Male flowers: pedicels 1–2 mm long in bud, 3–4 mm long in flower; sepals 5, 2.5 × 1.5 mm, triangular-ovate, densely silvery- or rusty-lepidote without, sparingly pubescent to subglabrous within; petals 5, 2 × 0.5 mm, elliptic-oblong to linear, glabrous without, pubescent within, ciliate, pale yellowish-cream or whitish; disk glands 5, truncate, thin, glabrous; stamens 16, filaments 3–4 mm long, glabrous above, pubescent below, white, anthers 1 mm long with a broad connective, yellow; receptacle pubescent.Female flowers: pedicels 2–2.5 mm long, stouter than in the male, densely lepidote; sepals 5, 3 × 2 mm, ovate, otherwise as in the male; petals as in the male; disk 5-lobed, the lobes truncate, glabrous; ovary 2.5 mm in diameter, globose, densely brown-lepidote; styles 3, 2 mm long, spreading, bicrurate (very deeply bipartite, almost bisected), the segments erect, linear-filiform, glabrous.Fruits 6–8 × 6–8 mm, shallowly rounded-trilobate, septicidal, densely silvery-green lepidote, brown-flecked.Seeds 4.5–5 × 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm, narrowly compressed-ellipsoid, smooth, shiny, dark brown or blackish; caruncle 1 mm wide, convex, creamy-white.
Habitat
In understorey of coastal dune forest and scrub, in Androstachys johnsonii thicket and dry forest, in Baikiaea mutemwa, mopane and Burkea woodlands on Kalahari Sand, in understorey of open Brachystegia, Julbernardia, Kirkia, Lannea, Isoberlinia woodland, usually in sandy soils, also on rocky outcrops and in riverine vegetation
Altitude range
sea-level to 1220 m.
1220
0
Distribution
Mozambique M Maputo, Costa do Sol, y. fl. 8.v.1946, Gomes e Sousa 3443 (COI; K; LISC; MO; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique GI Inharrime, Praia de Zavora, male fl. 22.vi.1960, Lemos & Balsinhas 170 (K; LISC; LMA; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique MS lower Chinizuia R., male fl. vii.1972, Tinley 2660 (K; LISC; MO; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique T near Zimbabwe border on Tete–Harare road, y. fl. 30.vi.1947, R.M. Hornby 2784 (K; SRGH).Mozambique Z Pebane, y. fl. 4.x.1949, Barbosa & Carvalho in Barbosa 4297 (K; LMA).Zimbabwe S Chiribira Falls, y. fl. 15.vi.1950, Chase 2360 (BM; K; LISC; MO; SRGH).Zimbabwe W Hwange (Wankie) Nat. Park, male fl. 16.xi.1968, Rushworth 1269 (K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).Zimbabwe E lower Save (Sabi) Valley, Dinde Hills, y. fl. 18.iii.1958, Phelps 228 (K; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique N Angoche (António Enes), fr. & sd. 16.x.1965, Mogg 32224 (J; K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).Malawi S Nsanje Distr., Mwabvi Game Res. C., y. fl. 6.viii.1975, Salubeni 1972 (MO; SRGH).Zimbabwe N Binga Distr., tributary of Busi R. 12 km NE of Lusulu, st. 16.xi.1982, Craig, Mahlangu & Burrows 16 (SRGH).Zambia B Sisisi Forest, subst. 23.xii.1952, Angus 1011 (BM; FHO; K; MO).
Distribution (external)
Mali
Nigeria
Somalia
Kenya
Tanzania
Angola
Namibia
South Africa (Transvaal, KwaZulu-Natal)
Notes
Although usually glabrous on the upper surface, the leaf blades can sometimes be minutely - almost microscopically - stellate-pubescent above.This has led to some confusion with the next species and also with C. gratissimus var. subgratissimus, but in these taxa the stellate hairs are coarser, the leaves are generally all alternate and the inflorescences elongate.
Date Updated: 26 July 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 4, (1996) Author: A. Radcliffe-Smith
Names
Croton pseudopulchellus Pax [family EUPHORBIACEAE], in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 34: 371 (1904). —Hutchinson in F.T.A. 6, 1: 757 (1912). —Prain in F.C. 5, 2: 417 (1920). —Engler, Pflanzenw. Afrikas (Veg. Erde 9) 3, 2: 47 (1921). —Burtt Davy, Fl. Pl. Ferns Transvaal: 302 (1932). —Hutchinson, Botanist in Southern Africa: 667 (1946). —Brenan, Check-list For. Trees Shrubs Tang. Terr.: 204 (1949). —Topham, Check List For. Trees Shrubs Nyasaland Prot.: 50 (1958). —Keay in F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 1, 2: 394 (1958). —Dale & Greenway, Kenya Trees & Shrubs: 192 (1961). —White, F.F.N.R.: 196 (1962). —Mogg in Macnae & Kalk, Nat. Hist. Inhaca Isl., Moçamb., rev. ed.: 147 (1969). —Drummond in Kirkia 10: 252 (1975). —K. Coates Palgrave, Trees Southern Africa, ed. 2, rev.: 418 (1983). —Radcliffe-Smith in F.T.E.A., Euphorb. 1: 137 (1987). —Beentje, Kenya Trees, Shrubs Lianas: 193 (1994). Type from Kenya (Coast Province).
Croton pulchellus [family EUPHORBIACEAE], sensu Müll. Arg. in De Candolle, Prodr. 15, 2: 572 (1866), pro parte, quoad specimen Kirk (1859). —Schinz & Junod in Mém. Herb. Boissier, No. 10: 47 (1900). —Topham, Check List For. Trees Shrubs Nyasaland Prot.: 50 (1958), non Baill.
Information
A much-branched shrub, or small tree up to 5 m tall, monoecious or dioecious.Bark smooth, brownish-grey, later becoming roughened.Wood hard.Young twigs densely silvery-lepidote and rusty-flecked.Stipules minute, obscured by the scales.Petioles 0.1–2(4) cm long.Leaves aromatic when crushed, whorled or subopposite; blades 1–8 × 0.5–4 cm, suborbicular-elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate to emarginate at the apex, entire, cuneate to rounded at the base, with a pair of minute sessile discoid basal glands on the under surface often obscured by scales, firmly chartaceous, glabrous or minutely stellate-pubescent and bright or dark green on upper surface, densely silvery-lepidote and rusty-flecked beneath; midrib often impressed above, prominent beneath, lateral nerves in 4–10 pairs, not or scarcely prominent above, invisible beneath.Racemes 0.5–2 cm long, abbreviated and often apparently umbellate, terminal, androgynous, all male or all female; bracts minute, scale-like.Male flowers: pedicels 1–2 mm long in bud, 3–4 mm long in flower; sepals 5, 2.5 × 1.5 mm, triangular-ovate, densely silvery- or rusty-lepidote without, sparingly pubescent to subglabrous within; petals 5, 2 × 0.5 mm, elliptic-oblong to linear, glabrous without, pubescent within, ciliate, pale yellowish-cream or whitish; disk glands 5, truncate, thin, glabrous; stamens 16, filaments 3–4 mm long, glabrous above, pubescent below, white, anthers 1 mm long with a broad connective, yellow; receptacle pubescent.Female flowers: pedicels 2–2.5 mm long, stouter than in the male, densely lepidote; sepals 5, 3 × 2 mm, ovate, otherwise as in the male; petals as in the male; disk 5-lobed, the lobes truncate, glabrous; ovary 2.5 mm in diameter, globose, densely brown-lepidote; styles 3, 2 mm long, spreading, bicrurate (very deeply bipartite, almost bisected), the segments erect, linear-filiform, glabrous.Fruits 6–8 × 6–8 mm, shallowly rounded-trilobate, septicidal, densely silvery-green lepidote, brown-flecked.Seeds 4.5–5 × 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm, narrowly compressed-ellipsoid, smooth, shiny, dark brown or blackish; caruncle 1 mm wide, convex, creamy-white.
Habitat
In understorey of coastal dune forest and scrub, in Androstachys johnsonii thicket and dry forest, in Baikiaea mutemwa, mopane and Burkea woodlands on Kalahari Sand, in understorey of open Brachystegia, Julbernardia, Kirkia, Lannea, Isoberlinia woodland, usually in sandy soils, also on rocky outcrops and in riverine vegetation
Altitude range
sea-level to 1220 m.
1220
0
Distribution
Mozambique M Maputo, Costa do Sol, y. fl. 8.v.1946, Gomes e Sousa 3443 (COI; K; LISC; MO; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique GI Inharrime, Praia de Zavora, male fl. 22.vi.1960, Lemos & Balsinhas 170 (K; LISC; LMA; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique MS lower Chinizuia R., male fl. vii.1972, Tinley 2660 (K; LISC; MO; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique T near Zimbabwe border on Tete–Harare road, y. fl. 30.vi.1947, R.M. Hornby 2784 (K; SRGH).Mozambique Z Pebane, y. fl. 4.x.1949, Barbosa & Carvalho in Barbosa 4297 (K; LMA).Zimbabwe S Chiribira Falls, y. fl. 15.vi.1950, Chase 2360 (BM; K; LISC; MO; SRGH).Zimbabwe W Hwange (Wankie) Nat. Park, male fl. 16.xi.1968, Rushworth 1269 (K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).Zimbabwe E lower Save (Sabi) Valley, Dinde Hills, y. fl. 18.iii.1958, Phelps 228 (K; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique N Angoche (António Enes), fr. & sd. 16.x.1965, Mogg 32224 (J; K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).Malawi S Nsanje Distr., Mwabvi Game Res. C., y. fl. 6.viii.1975, Salubeni 1972 (MO; SRGH).Zimbabwe N Binga Distr., tributary of Busi R. 12 km NE of Lusulu, st. 16.xi.1982, Craig, Mahlangu & Burrows 16 (SRGH).Zambia B Sisisi Forest, subst. 23.xii.1952, Angus 1011 (BM; FHO; K; MO).
Distribution (external)
Mali
Nigeria
Somalia
Kenya
Tanzania
Angola
Namibia
South Africa (Transvaal, KwaZulu-Natal)
Notes
Although usually glabrous on the upper surface, the leaf blades can sometimes be minutely - almost microscopically - stellate-pubescent above.This has led to some confusion with the next species and also with C. gratissimus var. subgratissimus, but in these taxa the stellate hairs are coarser, the leaves are generally all alternate and the inflorescences elongate.
Date Updated: 26 July 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 4, (1996) Author: A. Radcliffe-Smith
Names
Croton pseudopulchellus Pax [family EUPHORBIACEAE], in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 34: 371 (1904). —Hutchinson in F.T.A. 6, 1: 757 (1912). —Prain in F.C. 5, 2: 417 (1920). —Engler, Pflanzenw. Afrikas (Veg. Erde 9) 3, 2: 47 (1921). —Burtt Davy, Fl. Pl. Ferns Transvaal: 302 (1932). —Hutchinson, Botanist in Southern Africa: 667 (1946). —Brenan, Check-list For. Trees Shrubs Tang. Terr.: 204 (1949). —Topham, Check List For. Trees Shrubs Nyasaland Prot.: 50 (1958). —Keay in F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 1, 2: 394 (1958). —Dale & Greenway, Kenya Trees & Shrubs: 192 (1961). —White, F.F.N.R.: 196 (1962). —Mogg in Macnae & Kalk, Nat. Hist. Inhaca Isl., Moçamb., rev. ed.: 147 (1969). —Drummond in Kirkia 10: 252 (1975). —K. Coates Palgrave, Trees Southern Africa, ed. 2, rev.: 418 (1983). —Radcliffe-Smith in F.T.E.A., Euphorb. 1: 137 (1987). —Beentje, Kenya Trees, Shrubs Lianas: 193 (1994). Type from Kenya (Coast Province).
Croton pulchellus [family EUPHORBIACEAE], sensu Müll. Arg. in De Candolle, Prodr. 15, 2: 572 (1866), pro parte, quoad specimen Kirk (1859). —Schinz & Junod in Mém. Herb. Boissier, No. 10: 47 (1900). —Topham, Check List For. Trees Shrubs Nyasaland Prot.: 50 (1958), non Baill.
Information
A much-branched shrub, or small tree up to 5 m tall, monoecious or dioecious.Bark smooth, brownish-grey, later becoming roughened.Wood hard.Young twigs densely silvery-lepidote and rusty-flecked.Stipules minute, obscured by the scales.Petioles 0.1–2(4) cm long.Leaves aromatic when crushed, whorled or subopposite; blades 1–8 × 0.5–4 cm, suborbicular-elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate to emarginate at the apex, entire, cuneate to rounded at the base, with a pair of minute sessile discoid basal glands on the under surface often obscured by scales, firmly chartaceous, glabrous or minutely stellate-pubescent and bright or dark green on upper surface, densely silvery-lepidote and rusty-flecked beneath; midrib often impressed above, prominent beneath, lateral nerves in 4–10 pairs, not or scarcely prominent above, invisible beneath.Racemes 0.5–2 cm long, abbreviated and often apparently umbellate, terminal, androgynous, all male or all female; bracts minute, scale-like.Male flowers: pedicels 1–2 mm long in bud, 3–4 mm long in flower; sepals 5, 2.5 × 1.5 mm, triangular-ovate, densely silvery- or rusty-lepidote without, sparingly pubescent to subglabrous within; petals 5, 2 × 0.5 mm, elliptic-oblong to linear, glabrous without, pubescent within, ciliate, pale yellowish-cream or whitish; disk glands 5, truncate, thin, glabrous; stamens 16, filaments 3–4 mm long, glabrous above, pubescent below, white, anthers 1 mm long with a broad connective, yellow; receptacle pubescent.Female flowers: pedicels 2–2.5 mm long, stouter than in the male, densely lepidote; sepals 5, 3 × 2 mm, ovate, otherwise as in the male; petals as in the male; disk 5-lobed, the lobes truncate, glabrous; ovary 2.5 mm in diameter, globose, densely brown-lepidote; styles 3, 2 mm long, spreading, bicrurate (very deeply bipartite, almost bisected), the segments erect, linear-filiform, glabrous.Fruits 6–8 × 6–8 mm, shallowly rounded-trilobate, septicidal, densely silvery-green lepidote, brown-flecked.Seeds 4.5–5 × 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm, narrowly compressed-ellipsoid, smooth, shiny, dark brown or blackish; caruncle 1 mm wide, convex, creamy-white.
Habitat
In understorey of coastal dune forest and scrub, in Androstachys johnsonii thicket and dry forest, in Baikiaea mutemwa, mopane and Burkea woodlands on Kalahari Sand, in understorey of open Brachystegia, Julbernardia, Kirkia, Lannea, Isoberlinia woodland, usually in sandy soils, also on rocky outcrops and in riverine vegetation
Altitude range
sea-level to 1220 m.
1220
0
Distribution
Mozambique M Maputo, Costa do Sol, y. fl. 8.v.1946, Gomes e Sousa 3443 (COI; K; LISC; MO; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique GI Inharrime, Praia de Zavora, male fl. 22.vi.1960, Lemos & Balsinhas 170 (K; LISC; LMA; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique MS lower Chinizuia R., male fl. vii.1972, Tinley 2660 (K; LISC; MO; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique T near Zimbabwe border on Tete–Harare road, y. fl. 30.vi.1947, R.M. Hornby 2784 (K; SRGH).Mozambique Z Pebane, y. fl. 4.x.1949, Barbosa & Carvalho in Barbosa 4297 (K; LMA).Zimbabwe S Chiribira Falls, y. fl. 15.vi.1950, Chase 2360 (BM; K; LISC; MO; SRGH).Zimbabwe W Hwange (Wankie) Nat. Park, male fl. 16.xi.1968, Rushworth 1269 (K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).Zimbabwe E lower Save (Sabi) Valley, Dinde Hills, y. fl. 18.iii.1958, Phelps 228 (K; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique N Angoche (António Enes), fr. & sd. 16.x.1965, Mogg 32224 (J; K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).Malawi S Nsanje Distr., Mwabvi Game Res. C., y. fl. 6.viii.1975, Salubeni 1972 (MO; SRGH).Zimbabwe N Binga Distr., tributary of Busi R. 12 km NE of Lusulu, st. 16.xi.1982, Craig, Mahlangu & Burrows 16 (SRGH).Zambia B Sisisi Forest, subst. 23.xii.1952, Angus 1011 (BM; FHO; K; MO).
Distribution (external)
Mali
Nigeria
Somalia
Kenya
Tanzania
Angola
Namibia
South Africa (Transvaal, KwaZulu-Natal)
Notes
Although usually glabrous on the upper surface, the leaf blades can sometimes be minutely - almost microscopically - stellate-pubescent above.This has led to some confusion with the next species and also with C. gratissimus var. subgratissimus, but in these taxa the stellate hairs are coarser, the leaves are generally all alternate and the inflorescences elongate.
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