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Croton niveus

Jacq.

Wild rosemary, Snowhitecroton

iNaturalist· cc-by

(c) Elkin Meriño Florez, some rights reserved (CC BY)

iNaturalist· cc-by

(c) Elkin Meriño Florez, some rights reserved (CC BY)

iNaturalist· cc-by

(c) Elkin Meriño Florez, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 2-10 m tall. The stems are leafy. The leaves are 3-14 cm long by 2-10 cm wide. The flowering shoots are in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white. The fruit are 9-24 mm long by 9-20 mm wide.

Edible Uses

The bark is used as a spice.

Traditional Uses

The bark is used as a spice.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The dried leaves and bark are used as medicine.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. In Central America, it grows from 50-1,800 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Greater Antilles, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad, Venezuela, West Indies,

Cultivation

Most Croton species are relatively indifferent to their habitat and can grow on a wide range of soils in both disturbed and undisturbed vegetation.

Notes

The dried leaves and bark are used as medicine.

Synonyms

Berhamia hispida KlotzschBerhamia macrostachya KlotzschBerhamia panamensis KlotzschCroton dentatus Sm.Croton populifolius Mill.Croton populifolius var. genuinus Müll.Arg.Croton pseudochina Schltdl.Croton pseudochina var. minor Schltdl. & Cham.Croton septemnervius McVaughCroton syringifolius KunthKurkas populifolium (Mill.) Raf.Oxydectes nivea (Jacq.) KuntzeOxydectes populifolia (Mill.) Kuntze

Also Known As

Copalchi, Quisarra copalchi, Uvitas, Vara blanca

References (4)

  • Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 173
  • Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 278
  • Piedra-Malagón, E. M. et al, 2022, Edible native plants of the Gulf of Mexico Province. Biodiversity Data Journal 10: e80565 p 19
  • Seidemann J., 2005, World Spice Plants. Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p 123 (As Croton cascarilla Benn.)

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