Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T.Aiton

Goyder, D. J., Gilbert, M. G. & Venter, H. J. T. (2020). Apocynaceae (part 2). In: M. A. García (ed.), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 7(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Type

Jacq., Observ. Bot. 3: t.69 (1768) as Asclepias gigantea, lectotype designated by Ali in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 38: 290 (1980); topotype from Jamaica.

Morphology General Habit

Stout, weakly to strongly branched succulent shrub, 2–5 m tall; young parts shortly tomentose, often appearing farinose, glabrescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves subsessile or shortly petiolate, the petiole up to 5 mm long; lamina 7–26 cm long, 4–15.5 cm wide, ovate, oblong-ovate, elliptic or more usually broadly obovate, apex rounded or obtuse with a short acuminate tip, base cordate, often obscuring the petiole, slightly succulent, with conspicuous midrib and arched lateral veins, glaucous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences many-flowered, usually with at least 2 major branches each with successive subumbelliform clusters of flowers

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles robust, 3–8 cm long, very occasionally absent; bracts caducous, 7–12 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels slender, 10–35 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes 4–5mm long, 3–4 mm wide, ovate, acute or subacute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla campanulate, united for c.1/3 of its length, white with purple tips to the lobes, glabrous; lobes erect or spreading, 7–10 mm long, 6–7 mm wide, ovate, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona white or purple; lobes 5–6 mm long, c.3 mm wide, oblong, obliquely truncate or rounded, cleft radially in the upper half, minutely scabrid along the margins, basal spur c.2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynostegium

Gynostegium c.7 mm high, the head of the column forming a drum c.5 mm in diam., 2 mm deep

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinarium

Corpusculum c.0.4 mm long, slightly winged; translator arms 0.2–0.3 mm long; pollinia 1.2–1.5 mm long, 0.6–0.7 mm wide

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Follicles 8–13 cm long, ovoid to subglobose, with one side somewhat flattened, obtuse or depressed at the apex Seeds c.7 mm long, 5 mm wide, ovate, with a narrow rim, minutely pubescent.

Distribution

Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Drier parts of tropical Africa, Arabia and south Asia; naturalised elsewhere in the tropics.

Ecology

Often found at the edge of villages on disturbed or degraded land (often an indicator of overgrazing), usually on sand; 100–900 m

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–2720 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Boyacá, Casanare, Cundinamarca, Huila, Magdalena, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Herb, Shrub, Subshrub, Small tree, Liana, Climbing.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: shrubland.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Naturalizada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2720 m.; Andes, Llanura del Caribe, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba, subarbusto, arbusto, arbolito, trepadora, liana,

Conservation

No Evaluada

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular

FRENCH COTTON

Morphology General Habit

A shrub or small tree to 5 m tall, the younger parts deciduously white-felted, becoming glabrous with age; leaves oblong-obovate or rotund, 8–18 cm long, up to 12 cm broad, cuspidate at the apex, narrowly cordate-clasping at the base, with very short, stout petiole.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes stalked, few–many-flowered; pedicels 1–3 cm long; calyx woolly; corolla bell- shaped, 2–3 cm broad when expanded, white, the fleshy triangular lobes violet within; corona deep violet; stigma pale green

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Follicles greenish, swollen, 8–12 cm long, minutely woolly puberulous.

Distribution

Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac. Apparently native of tropical Africa, but planted and naturalised in most warm countries.

Ecology

Especially in dry places.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Stout, weakly to strongly branched succulent shrub 2–7 m tall; young parts shortly tomentose, often appearing farinose, glabrescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves subsessile or shortly petiolate; blade 7–26 x 4–15.5 cm, ovate, oblong-ovate, elliptic or more usually broadly obovate, apex rounded or obtuse with a short acuminate tip, base cordate, often obscuring the petiole, glaucous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicels and Peduncles

Peduncles robust, (0–)3–8 cm long; pedicels slender, 1–3.5 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 4–5 x 3–4 mm, ovate, acute or subacute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla campanulate, white with purple tips to the lobes, glabrous; lobes erect or spreading, 7–10 x 6–7 mm, ovate, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona-lobes white or purple, 5–6 x 3 mm, oblong, obliquely truncate or rounded, cleft radially in the upper half, minutely scabrid along the margins, basal spur c. 2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Follicles 8–13 cm long, ovoid to subglobose, with one side somewhat flattened, obtuse or depressed at the apex.

Distribution

N1, 2; S1, 2 drier parts of tropical Africa, Arabia and India; naturalised elsewhere in the tropics.

Ecology

Altitude up to c. 1200 m.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

algodón, algodón andariego, algodón chino, algodón de Castilla, algodón de seda, algodón extranjero, algodón fino, algodón lechero, gallito, güevas de perro, lechero, palo de algodón, quiebraplatos, vagamundo, vejigo, vejigón

Apocynaceae (part 2), David Goyder, Timothy Harris, Siro Masinde, Ulrich Meve, Johan Venter. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2012

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles robust, 3–8 cm long, very occasionally absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts caducous, ovate-lanceolate, 7–12 mm long, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels slender, 10–35 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes ovate, 4–5 × 3–4 mm, acute or subacute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white with purple tips to the lobes, campanulate, united for ± 1/3 of its length, glabrous; lobes erect or spreading, ovate, 7–10 × 6–7 mm, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona white or purple; lobes 5–6 × ± 3 mm, oblong, obliquely truncate or rounded, cleft radially in the upper half, minutely scabrid along the margins, basal spur ± 2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynostegium

Gynostegium ± 7 mm high, the head of the column forming a drum ± 2 × 5 mm; corpusculum ± 0.4 mm long, slightly winged; translator arms 0.2–0.3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia 1.2–1.5 × 0.6–0.7 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Follicles ovoid to subglobose, 8–13 cm long, with one side somewhat flattened, obtuse or depressed at the apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate, ± 7 × 5 mm, with a narrow rim, minutely pubescent

Figures

Fig 89, p 369

Ecology

Close to villages on disturbed or degraded land, usually on sand, also along banks of dry river beds in the north; (0–)400–1400 m

Morphology General Habit

Succulent shrub, 2–5 m tall, stout, weakly to strongly branched; young parts shortly tomentose, often appearing farinose, glabrescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petiole up to 5 mm long; lamina ovate, oblong-ovate, elliptic or more usually broadly obovate, 7–26 × 4–15.5 cm, apex rounded or obtuse with a short acuminate tip, base cordate, often obscuring the petiole, slightly succulent, with conspicuous midrib and arched lateral veins, glaucous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences many-flowered, usually with at least 2 major branches each with successive subumbelliform clusters of flowers.

Distribution

Flora districts: U1 U2 K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 Range: Drier parts of tropical Africa, Arabia and south Asia, naturalised elsewhere in the tropics

Use Animal Food

Used as animal food.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses.

Use Fuel

Used for fuels.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Materials

Used as material.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Poisons

Poisons.

Use Social

Social uses.

Use

The latex contains a bitter substance and is somewhat poisonous; the silky floss from the seeds can be used for stuffing pillows or for weaving cloth.

Use

Seed hairs used for stuffing pillows. Rope made from stem.