Croton persimilis Muell.-Arg.

സോമരാജി

Family : EUPHORBIACEAE

Synonym : Croton roxburghii Balakr.

Common Names : Koteputol, Pongalam, Somaraaji, Thomarayam

Flowering Period : March-June

Distribution : India to China

Habitat : Scrub forests, also in the plains

Uses : The bark is applied topically to treat sprains. The leaves and the heartwood are used externally to treat sprains. A hot decoction of the leaves is used to treat scabies. The pounded leaves are used to relieve the bites of insects. The tree is often planted as a fast-growing living fence.

Key Characters :

Small trees; bark grey or brownish; young shoots covered with minute orbicular silvery scales. Leaves simple, alternate, spiral, turning red before falling; 11-23 x 3.5-7.5 cm; elliptic, obovate, elliptic-obovate, elliptic-oblanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, base acute or cuneate, apex acute, margin more or less crenate or young, coriaceous; lateral nerves 8-13 pairs, pinnate, slender, prominent, intercostae reticulate, prominent; stipules lateral; petiole 15-40 mm long, stout, slightly grooved above, swollen at tip and base, silver lepidote scales present. Flowers unisexual, pale yellowish-green, solitary or fascicled in the axils of minute bracts on long erect often fascicled racemes, the males in the upper part of the raceme, the females in the lower part; male flowers: pedicels of variable length, slender; sepals 5, ovate, obtuse; petals elliptic-lanceolate, obtuse, woolly; stamens 12, inflexed in bud; lower half of the filaments hairy; female flowers: pedicels short, stout; sepals 5, ovate, acute, ciliate; petals 5, obovate, margin densely woolly; ovary 3-celleed, ovule 1 in each cell; styles 3, each again divided into 2 longer slender curled branches. Fruit a capsule, subglobose, depressed, slightly 3-lobed, lepidote scaly; seeds 3.