Aleurites moluccanus (L.) Willd.

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

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18435618/18435622

Conservation

LC - least concern

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.

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.

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

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.