Croton Cascarilloides Raeusch.

Croton cascarilloides Raeusch.

Shrub 0.5-2 m tall, dbh to 12 cm; bark thin, smooth, grey; densely pubescent, hardly glabrescent; Indumentum consisting of lepidote, hyaline hairs with a small yellowish-brownish center (appearing yellowish-silvery), completely brownish hairs scattered (on leaves) to dense (on floral parts), flat, 0.5-1.0 mm in diam., with (30-)50-70 fused radii. Stipules 4-6 mm long, densely pubescent. Leaves pseudo-verticillate apically, alternate on lower parts; petiole (0.3-)0.8-4 cm long, densely pubescent; blade elliptic to slightly obovate, 9-21 by 3.5-7 cm, index 1.8-3.6, chartaceous, base rounded to subcordate, margin entire, apex acuminate, glabrous above, below completely and densely silvery-pubescent without visible surface and not glabrescent, scattered darker hairs visible as distinct dots; basal glands as slightly elevated discs 0.2-0.8 mm in diam. lateral on the abaxial midrib base, additional marginal glands absent; side veins 8-15 pairs, below prominent but not differing in colour, not triplinerved, tertiary veins very indistinct. Inflorescences silvery-white to yellowish-brown, solitary or a few in an apical whorl, 0.5-2 cm long and with very few flowers only, with 2(-4) pistillate flowers, apically with c. 3 staminate flowers, the medium part usually naked with scars only, without bisexual bracts; densely brownish pubescent throughout, not glabrescent; bracts 2-3.5 by 1-1.5 mm, covering a whole flower, eglandular, soon caducous; 1 staminate flower per bract. Staminate flowers: pedicel c. 1 mm long; sepals c. 2 by 1.5 mm; petals c. 2 by 1.5 mm; stamens c. 13-15, glabrous. Pistillate flowers: pedicel c. 0.5 mm long (0.5-1 mm in fruit); sepals 2.5-3 by 1.5-2 mm, incurved, longer than the ovary; petals absent; ovary c. 2 mm long; stigmas 2-3 mm long, fused at the very base, filiform, bifid most of their length, apically slightly quadrifid, later on shed. Fruits green with brown scales, densely pubescent throughout, 4-5 by c. 5 mm, sulcate; stigmas shed and not present. Seeds flattened, c. 4 by 3.5-4 mm, ecarunculate.
    T h a i l a n d.— NORTHERN: Lampang (Chae Son), Nakhon Sawan (Mae Wong); NORTH-EASTERN: Loei (Phu Luang); EASTERN: Chaiyaphum (Ban Nam Phrom), Nakhon Ratchasima (Khao Yai, Sakaerat); SOUTH-WESTERN: Uthai Thani (Thum Prayarpaishu), Kanchanaburi (Erawan Waterfalls, Khao Salop), Ratchaburi (Khao Nam Tok), Phetchaburi (Kaeng Krachan), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Bang Saphan, Huai Yang Waterfalls, Pran Buri, Sam Roi Yot); SOUTH-EASTERN: Prachin Buri (Khao Yai), Chon Buri (Chantaten Falls, Khao Khiao, Sattahip, Si Racha), Chanthaburi (Khao Soi Dao); PENINSULAR: Chumphon (Ko Tao), Surat Thani (Khao Phra Rahu, Yan Yao, Chaiya, Ko Samui), Phangnga (Khao Tam Thong Lang, Similan), Phuket (Ao Sane Beach), Krabi), Satun (Ko Kabeng, Ko Tarutao), Songkhla (Ton Nga Chang, Padang Besar), Yala (Banang Sata).
    D i s t r i b u t i o n.— Japan (Ryukyu Islands), S. China, Indochina (type), Thailand, W. and C. Malesia (from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo, the Philippines, and the Moluccas, but excl. Java); not yet recorded for Burma.
    E c o l o g y.— In primary dry evergreen or mixed evergreen/deciduous forest, bamboo-hardwood forest, secondary dipterocarp forest, on rocky slopes and outcrops, hills, also on streambanks, usually shaded, mostly collected on limestone, but also rarely on sandstone and basalt. Altitude: sea level to 600 m. Flowering and fruiting the whole year through. The flowers are slightly scented.
    V e r n a c u l a r.— Ka-don hin (กะดอนหิน) (Loei); plao nam ngoen (เปล้าน้ำเงิน) (Prachuap Khiri Khan); plao lek (เปล้าแล็ก), plao ngoen (เปล้าเงิน) (Peninsular).
    U s e s.— Bark and roots are used as an antipyretic.