- Family:
- Euphorbiaceae Juss.
Aleurites moluccanus (L.) Willd.

[CPLC]
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
- Cultivada en Colombia; Andes, Islas Caribeñas, Pacífico.
- Morphology General Habit
- Árbol
[FZ]
Euphorbiaceae, A. Radcliffe-Smith. Flora Zambesiaca 9:4. 1996
- Morphology General Habit
- A tree up to 10 m tall with a rounded crown.
- Morphology General Bark
- Bark smooth, grey.
- Morphology General Shoots
- Young shoots, petioles and inflorescence axes densely scurfily fulvous to ferrugineous stellate-tomentose.
- Morphology Leaves Stipules
- Stipules minute, subulate.
- Morphology Leaves Petiole
- Petioles 6–22 cm long.
- Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina
- Leaf blades 7–24 × 4–20 cm, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-trullate, entire or up to 5-lobed, apex and lobes subacute to acutely acuminate, entire or shallowly repand-dentate on the margins, cuneate to truncate or shallowly cordate at the base, with 2 discoid, sessile, contiguous, shiny glands adaxially at the base, 3–5(7)-nerved from the base, densely cinereous-, fulvous- or ferrugineous-stellate-tomentose on both surfaces at first, later glabrescent.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescences 10–16 × 10–14 cm, broadly conical, branching from the base; bracts 2–3 mm long.
- sex Male
- Male flowers: pedicels 7–10 mm long, slender; buds 2 mm long, ovoid; calyx lobes 3–3.5 × 2–3 mm, ovate, acute, stellate-tomentose without, glabrous within; petals 6–8 × 2 mm, narrowly oblong-spathulate, obtuse, glabrous, yellowish-white; disk glands 0.5 × 0.5 mm, shallowly 3-lobed, flattened, whitish; staminal column 4 mm high, filaments c. 1 mm long, green, puberulous with simple hairs, anthers 0.5 mm long and wide, yellowish; receptacle puberulous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Female flowers: pedicels 3–4.5 mm long, stout, dilated upwards; buds 4 mm long, conical; petals 1.5 mm wide, otherwise as in male flowers; disk c. 2 mm across, flattened; ovary c. 1.5 × 2 mm, subglobose, densely appressed-stellate-tomentose; styles c. 1 mm long, glabrous except at the base without. Male flowers: pedicels 7–10 mm long, slender; buds 2 mm long, ovoid; calyx lobes 3–3.5 × 2–3 mm, ovate, acute, stellate-tomentose without, glabrous within; petals 6–8 × 2 mm, narrowly oblong-spathulate, obtuse, glabrous, yellowish-white; disk glands 0.5 × 0.5 mm, shallowly 3-lobed, flattened, whitish; staminal column 4 mm high, filaments c. 1 mm long, green, puberulous with simple hairs, anthers 0.5 mm long and wide, yellowish; receptacle puberulous.
- sex Female
- Female flowers: pedicels 3–4.5 mm long, stout, dilated upwards; buds 4 mm long, conical; petals 1.5 mm wide, otherwise as in male flowers; disk c. 2 mm across, flattened; ovary c. 1.5 × 2 mm, subglobose, densely appressed-stellate-tomentose; styles c. 1 mm long, glabrous except at the base without.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruit 4 × 4–5.5 cm, ovoid-subglobose or transversely-ovoid, shallowly 2-lobed and with 4 low longitudinal ridges, evenly to sparingly appressed- or scurfily stellate-pubescent, green.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds 2.5 × 2.75 × 2.25 cm, broadly ovoid, shallowly rugulose, brown mottled cream-coloured or whitish.
[UPFC]
- Distribution
- Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean, Pacific. Cultivated in Colombia. Colombian departments: Chocó, Cundinamarca, San Andrés y Providencia, Valle del Cauca.
- Habit
- Tree.
- Conservation
- IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.
- Ecology
- Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
[FTEA]
Euphorbiaceae, A. R.-Smith. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1987
- Morphology General Habit
- A tree up to 15 m. tall, with spreading pendulous and ascending branches.
- Morphology General Shoots
- Young shoots scurfily fulvous to ferruginous stellate-pubescent.
- Morphology Leaves
- Petiole 4–16(–22) cm. long, evenly scurfily or shortly stellate pubescent or puberulous; leaf-blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate or ovate-trullate, entire or sometimes shallowly 3–5-lobed, (9–)12–25 cm. long, 6–15(–24) cm. wide, apex and lobes subacute to shortly acutely acuminate, cuneate or rounded or (if the leaves lobed) truncate or shallowly or moderately cordate, with 2 circular, sessile, shining contiguous glands adaxially at the base, 3–5(–7)-nerved from the base, densely fulvous to ferruginous stellate-pubescent above and beneath at first, later becoming almost or quite glabrous on both surfaces.
- Morphology Leaves Stipules
- Stipules cylindric, 1 mm. long, rounded at the apex, stellate-pubescent, readily caducous leaving 2 small circular scars.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescences conical, up to 15 cm. long and wide, branching from the base; axes densely fulvous stellate-tomentellous; bracts 2–3 mm. long, acute, densely fulvous stellate-tomentellous.
- sex Male
- Male flowers:pedicels slender, 5–7 mm. long, stellate-pubescent; buds ovoid, 2 mm. long, obtuse, the calyx rupturing to the base into 2 ± equal lobes, stellate-tomentose without, glabrous within; petals spathulate-oblanceolate, 5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous except for a few hairs within at the base, yellowish white; disc-lobes somewhat convolute, thick; stamens 17–20, the filaments 1 mm. long, simply puberulous, the anthers 0.5 mm. long; receptacle simply puberulous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Female flowers:pedicels 2–3 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. thick, stellate-pubescent; buds ellipsoid, 5 mm. long, otherwise as in the ♂ flowers; petals linear-oblanceolate, 1 cm. long, 2 mm. wide, otherwise as in the ♂ flowers; disc-glands small, rounded; ovary subglobose, 1.5 mm. long, 2 mm. diameter, densely stellate-tomentose; styles 1 mm. long, glabrous. Male flowers:pedicels slender, 5–7 mm. long, stellate-pubescent; buds ovoid, 2 mm. long, obtuse, the calyx rupturing to the base into 2 ± equal lobes, stellate-tomentose without, glabrous within; petals spathulate-oblanceolate, 5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous except for a few hairs within at the base, yellowish white; disc-lobes somewhat convolute, thick; stamens 17–20, the filaments 1 mm. long, simply puberulous, the anthers 0.5 mm. long; receptacle simply puberulous.
- sex Female
- Female flowers:pedicels 2–3 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. thick, stellate-pubescent; buds ellipsoid, 5 mm. long, otherwise as in the ♂ flowers; petals linear-oblanceolate, 1 cm. long, 2 mm. wide, otherwise as in the ♂ flowers; disc-glands small, rounded; ovary subglobose, 1.5 mm. long, 2 mm. diameter, densely stellate-tomentose; styles 1 mm. long, glabrous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruits fleshy, ovoid-subglobose or transversely ovoid with 4 low longitudinal ridges, 4–4.5 cm. long, 4–6 cm. diameter, evenly to sparingly stellate-pubescent.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds broadly ovoid, 2.5–3 cm. long and wide, gibberulous, greyish, mottled brownish.
- Figures
- Fig. 34.
- Habitat
- Cultivated; 650–1850 m.
- Distribution
- native of tropical Asia and Oceania from India and China to Polynesia and New Zealand, and widely cultivated in the tropics generallythe ‘Candlenut Tree’ K4 P T3 T6 T7 T8 U2 U3 Z
[UPFC]
- Use Animal Food
- Used as animal food.
- Use Environmental
- Environmental uses.
- Use Fuel
- Used for fuels.
- Use Gene Sources
- Used as gene sources.
- Use Food
- Used for food.
- Use Invertebrate Food
- Used as invertebrate food.
- Use Materials
- Used as material.
- Use Medicines
- Medical uses.
- Use Poisons
- Poisons.
- Use Social
- Social uses.
Native to:
Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, Caroline Is., China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, India, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Marianas, Marshall Is., Myanmar, New Guinea, Philippines, Queensland, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Introduced into:
Argentina Northeast, Bahamas, Brazil Northeast, Cayman Is., Christmas I., Comoros, Cook Is., Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Florida, Haiti, Hawaii, Jamaica, Kermadec Is., Leeward Is., Madagascar, Marquesas, Mozambique, New Caledonia, Niue, Paraguay, Pitcairn Is., Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Samoa, Society Is., Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Tuamotu, Tubuai Is., Wallis-Futuna Is., Windward Is., Zimbabwe
- Aleurites ambinux Pers.
- Aleurites angustifolius Vieill.
- Aleurites commutatus Geiseler
- Aleurites cordifolius (Gaertn.) Steud.
- Aleurites integrifolius Vieill.
- Aleurites javanicus Gand.
- Aleurites lanceolatus Blanco
- Aleurites lobatus Blanco
- Aleurites moluccanus var. floccosus Airy Shaw
- Aleurites moluccanus var. katoi O.Deg., I.Deg. & B.S.Stone
- Aleurites pentaphyllus Benth.
- Aleurites remyi Sherff
- Aleurites trilobus J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
- Camerium moluccanum (L.) Kuntze
- Camirium cordifolium Gaertn.
- Camirium oleosum Reinw. ex Blume
- Dryandra oleifera Lam.
- Jatropha moluccana L.
- Mallotus moluccanus (L.) Müll.Arg.
- Manihot moluccana (L.) Crantz
- Ricinus dicoccus Roxb.
- Rottlera moluccana (L.) Scheff.
- Telopea perspicua Sol. ex Seem.
Aleurites moluccanus (L.) Willd. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug 10, 1998 | Gouvea, M.F. [8.283], Paraná | K000716390 | No | ||
Faulkner, H. [2557], Tanzania | 22001.000 | No | |||
Hyland, B. [2696], Australia | 33632.000 | No | |||
Hyland, B. [2696], Australia | 34524.000 | No | |||
Brunt, M., Kenya | 63716.000 | No | |||
March, W.T. [1184], Jamaica | K000716388 | Yes | |||
Havel, J.J. [9169], Papua New Guinea | Aleurites moluccanus var. floccosus | K000959479 | holotype | Yes |
First published in Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 4: 590 (1805)
Accepted by
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
- Balakrishnan, N.P. & Chakrabarty, T. (2007). The family Euphorbiaceae in India. A synopsis of its profile, taxonomy and bibliography: 1-500. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun.
- Berendsohn, W.G., Gruber, A.K. & Monterrosa Salomón, J. (2009). Nova silva cusatlantica. Árboles nativos e introduciados de El Salvador. Parte 1: Angiospermae - Familias A a L Englera 29-1: 1-438.
- Chayamarit, K. & Van Welzen, P.C. (2005). Euphorbiaceae (Genera A-F) Flora of Thailand 8(1): 1-303. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.
- Florence, J. (1997). Flore de la Polynésie Française 1: 1-393. ORSTOM éditions, Paris.
- George, A.S., Orchard, A.E. & Hewson, H.J. (eds.) (1993). Oceanic islands 2 Flora of Australia 50: 1-606. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Girmansyah, D. & al. (eds.) (2013). Flora of Bali an annotated checklist: 1-158. Herbarium Bogorensis, Indonesia.
- Govaerts, R. (1995). World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2): 1-483, 1-529. MIM, Deurne.
- Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1-1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Keller, H.A., Stampella, P.C., Delucchi, G. & Hurrell, J.A. (2013). Vernicia fordii y Aleurites moluccanus (Euphorbiaceae) en la Argentina. Naturalización y etnobotánica Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 48: 553-561.
- MacKee, H.S. (1994). Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie, ed. 2: 1-164. Museum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris.
- Morat, P. & Veillon, J.-M. (1985). Contributions à la conaissance de la végétation et de la flore de Wallis et Futuna Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Section B, Adansonia 7: 259-329.
- Mostaph, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
- Smith, A.C. (1981). Flora Vitiensis Nova. A new flora for Fiji (Spermatophytes only) 2: 1-810. Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai.
- Sykes, W.R. (1970). Contributions to the flora of Niue Bulletin, New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 200: 1-321.
- Webb, C.J., Sykes, W.R & Garnock-Jones, P.J. (1988). Flora of New Zealand 4: 1-1365. R.E.Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.
- Welsh, S.L. (1998). Flora Societensis: 1-420. E.P.S. Inc. Utah.
- Wu, Z.Y., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D.Y. (eds.) (2008). Flora of China 11: 1-622. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
Literature
Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia
- 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
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
- Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots' Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.
- Barthelat, F. (2019). La flore illustrée de Mayotte: 1-687. Biotope éditions.
- Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Florence, J. (1997). Flore de la Polynésie Française 1: 1-393. ORSTOM éditions, Paris.
- Fosberg, F.R. (1975). Vascular plants of Aitutaki Atoll Research Bulletin 190: 73-84.
- Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1979). A geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledonae Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 15: 41-295.
- George, A.S., Orchard, A.E. & Hewson, H.J. (eds.) (1993). Oceanic islands 2 Flora of Australia 50: 1-606. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Girmansyah, D. & al. (eds.) (2013). Flora of Bali an annotated checklist: 1-158. Herbarium Bogorensis, Indonesia.
- Keller, H.A., Stampella, P.C., Delucchi, G. & Hurrell, J.A. (2013). Vernicia fordii y Aleurites moluccanus (Euphorbiaceae) en la Argentina. Naturalización y etnobotánica Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 48: 553-561.
- Morat, P. & Veillon, J.-M. (1985). Contributions à la conaissance de la végétation et de la flore de Wallis et Futuna Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Section B, Adansonia 7: 259-329.
- Mostaph, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
- Sykes, W.R. (1970). Contributions to the flora of Niue Bulletin, New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 200: 1-321.
- Welsh, S.L. (1998). Flora Societensis: 1-420. E.P.S. Inc. Utah.
- Yuncker, T.G. (1959). Plants of Tonga Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin 220: 1-283.
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- A. Engler & O. Drude, Die Vegetation Der Erde, IX, Pflanzenwelt Afrikas 3(2): 60, t. 23 (1921).
- Airy Shaw in Kew Bulletin 20: 393 (1967).
- F. White, Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia p. 193 (1962).
- J.P.M. Brenan, Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire no. 5, part II, Tanganyika Territory p. 199 (1949).
- Muell. Arg. in DC., Prodr. 15(2): 723 (1866).
- Pax in A. Engler, Das Pflanzenreich IV. 147(1): 129, t. 45 (1910).
- Troupin, Fl. Rwanda 2: 204, t. 60/1 (1983).
- Willd., Sp. Pl. 4: 590 (1805).
Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia
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- Diazgranados et al. (2021). Catalogue of plants of Colombia. Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project. In prep.
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- FPI (2021). Food Plants International. https://fms.cmsvr.com/fmi/webd/Food_Plants_World?homeurl=https://foodplantsinternational.com/plants/
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- GRIN (2021). Germplasm Resources Information Network from the United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.ars-grin.gov/
- IUCN (2021). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-2. https://www.iucnredlist.org.
- Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) v.10 (2021); http://mpns.kew.org/
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- RBG, Kew (ed.) (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London.
- Willis, K.J. (ed.) (2017). State of the World’s Plants 2017. Report. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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Art and Illustrations in Digifolia
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Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible
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