Euphorbiaceae
Croton

Croton gratissimus Burch.

First published in Trav. S. Africa 2: 263 (1824)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & S. Africa. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Distribution

Native to:

Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, Chad, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan-South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Synonyms

Homotypic Synonyms

Accepted Infraspecifics

Classification

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Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
  • Bamps, P. (2009). Croton gratissimus (Euphorbiaceae), nouveau pour la flore du Congo-Kinshasa. Systematics and Geography of Plants 79: 248-250.
  • Calane da Silva, M., Izdine, S. & Amuse, A.B. (2004). A Preliminary Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Mozambique: 1-184. SABONET, Pretoria.
  • 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.
  • Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. 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.
  • Mannheimer, C.A. & Curtis, B.A. (eds.) (2009). Le Roux and Müller's field guide to the trees and shrubs of Namibia, rev. ed.: 1-525. Macmillan Education Namibia, Windhoek.
  • Thiombiano, A., Schmidt, M., Dressler, S., Ouédraogo, A., Hahn, K. & Zizka, G. (2012). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Burkina Faso. Boissiera 65: 1-391.

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
  • Bamps, P. (2009). Croton gratissimus (Euphorbiaceae), nouveau pour la flore du Congo-Kinshasa. Systematics and Geography of Plants 79: 248-250.
  • Mannheimer, C.A. & Curtis, B.A. (eds.) (2009). Le Roux and Müller's field guide to the trees and shrubs of Namibia, rev. ed.: 1-525. Macmillan Education Namibia, Windhoek.
  • Thiombiano, A., Schmidt, M., Dressler, S., Ouédraogo, A., Hahn, K. & Zizka, G. (2012). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Burkina Faso. Boissiera 65: 1-391.

Kew Plants for Health

  • "SEPASAL database. (RBG Kew, 1999)"
  • "World Checklist of Useful Pl. Spp. (Diazgranados et al., 2020)"
  • MPNS Import
  • US-FDA GSRS (2025)

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jun 1, 2003 Cheek, M. [7016] Cameroon K000026637 Yes
Jun 1, 2003 Etuge, M. [538] Cameroon K000026638 Yes
Garcia, R. [11938] Mozambique K000347468 Unknown Type Material Yes
Garcia, R. [11938] Mozambique K000347467 Unknown Type Material Yes
Henriques, C. [210] Angola K004449192 Yes
Lowe, J.L. [2658] Nigeria K004447752 Yes
Barker, N.P.; Bester, S.P.; Janks, M.R. [222] Angola K001333703 Yes
Seyani, J.H.; Tawakali, E.J. [1143] Malawi K004449074 Yes
Astle, W.L. [5673] Zambia K004449106 Yes
Zimba, N.B.; Harder, D.K.; Schmidt, H.H.; Luwiika, B. [901] Zambia K004449097 Yes
Azancot de Menezes [3267] Angola K004449199 Yes
Magaji, S.O.; Tuley, P. [1797] Nigeria K004447758 Yes
s.coll. [8861] Zimbabwe K004449112 Yes
Jarman, P.J. [276] Zimbabwe K004449128 Yes
Angus, A. [3645] Zambia K004449110 Yes
Dahlstrand, K.A. [127] Zimbabwe K004449132 Yes
Adamawa, P.F.O. [FHI48446] Nigeria K004447755 Yes
Brummitt, R.K. [18385] Malawi K004449077 Yes
Menezes, A. [3466] Angola K004449185 Yes
Lovemore, D.F. [418] Zimbabwe K004449152 Yes
Couto, C. [3] Angola K004449195 Yes
Pooley, E.S. [865] South Africa K004621148 Yes
Norlindh, N.T.; Weimarck, H. [5158] Zimbabwe K004449114 Yes
Jacobsen, W. [3428] Zimbabwe K004449133 Yes
Wild, H. [2005] Zimbabwe K004449155 Yes
Wild, H. [3095] Zimbabwe K004449138 Yes
[I Cannell] [79] Zimbabwe K004449134 Yes
Holland, J.H. [173] Nigeria K004447744 Yes
[Concannon]; DeMeo [6] Botswana K004449175 Yes
Rogers, F.A. [21572] South Africa K004621161 Yes
Rügheimer, S.; Klaassen, E.S.; Hochobes [2922] Namibia K004621159 Yes
Grandvaux Barbosa, L.A.; de Lemos, F. [7765] Mozambique K004449071 Yes
Harbor, C.C. [6637] Botswana K004449166 Yes
Friis, I.; Sebsebe, D.; Assefa Hailu; Ermias Getachew [13255] Ethiopia K004448015 Yes
Rowland, J.W. [s.n.] Nigeria K004447743 Yes
Holmes, W.D. [H1321] Zambia K004449092 Yes
Burchell, W.J. [2493-2] South Africa K000422614 Unknown Type Material Yes
Biegel, H.M. [4188] Zimbabwe K004449136 Yes
Galpin, E.E. [9282] Zimbabwe K004449115 Yes
Dalziel, J.M. [8055] Gambia, The K004447715 Yes
Gomes e Sousa, A.F. [2156] Mozambique K004449065 Yes
Feiertag, H.J. [45402] Zimbabwe K004449156 Yes
s.coll. [14] Nigeria K004447742 Yes
Rogers [5146] Zimbabwe K004449122 Yes
Heath, A.; Heath, R. [2193] Botswana K001569713 Yes
Smith, P.A. [3573] Botswana K004449174 Yes
Long, D.G.; Rae, D.A.H. [644] Botswana K004449176 Yes
Van Rensburg, H.J. [2606KBS] Zambia K004449109 Yes
Culverwell, J. [1059] Eswatini K004621156 Yes
Zunguze, D.; Boane, C.; Dungo, J. [590] Mozambique K004449072 Yes
Borges, A. [345] Angola K004449179 Yes
Borges, A. [335] Angola K004449197 Yes
Friis, I.; Harris, T.; Assefa Hailu; Ermias Getachew [13762] Ethiopia K004448016 Yes
Allen, C.E.F. [418] Zimbabwe K004449124 Yes
Latilo, N.G. [47424] Nigeria K004447754 Yes
Jaeger, P. [5582] Mali K004447716 Yes
Tuley, P. [2196] Nigeria K004447757 Yes
Davies, R.M. [313] Zimbabwe K004449140 Yes
Edwards, D. [2501] Eswatini K004621155 Yes
Goyder, D.J.; Barker, N.; Clark, V.R. [7538] Angola K000508956 Yes
Latilo, M.G. [150] Nigeria K004447748 Yes
Reyneke, J. [422] Botswana K004449169 Yes
Rushworth, J.E. [246] Zimbabwe K004449129 Yes
Story, R. [5054] Botswana K004449168 Yes
Swynnerton, C.F.M. [s.n.] Zimbabwe K004449116 Yes
Henriques, C. [380] Angola K004449193 Yes
Plowes, D.C. [1149] Zimbabwe K004449150 Yes
Monro, C.F.H. [322] Zimbabwe K004449120 Yes
Rodin, R.J. [4375] Zimbabwe K004449153 Yes
Friis, I.; Bidgood, S.; Malaku Wondefrash; Getu Tefera [9590] Ethiopia K004448023 Yes
B. de Winter; Vahrmeijer, J. [8542] South Africa K004621144 Yes
Jackson, J.K. [1292] Sudan K004448024 Yes
Codd, L.E. [7147] Zambia K004449085 Yes
Burtt Davy, J. [786] Zambia K004449081 Yes
Lawlor, D.W.; Hall, J. [541] Nigeria K004447756 Yes
West, O. [3111] Zimbabwe K004449149 Yes
Couto, C. [351] Angola K004449182 Yes
Deighton, F.C. [FCD2675] Sierra Leone K004447718 Yes
Gilges, W. [595] Zambia K004449093 Yes
Strey; Moll [3976] South Africa K004621146 Yes
Phipps, J.B. [913] Zimbabwe K004449146 Yes
Gilbert, M.G.; Gilbert, C.I. [4167] Ethiopia K004448021 Yes
Barbosa, G.; Moreno, F. [10147] Angola K004449200 Yes
Mavi, S. [232] Zimbabwe K004449130 Yes
Strey; Moll [3707] South Africa K004621145 Yes
s.coll. [MMC/RCB/B7970] Botswana K004449125 Yes
Mutimushi, J.M. [3731] Zambia K004449105 Yes
Fanshawe, D.B. [F5085] Zambia K004449090 Yes
Wild, H. [3102] Zambia K004449083 Yes
Ward, C.J. [9584] South Africa K004621149 Yes
Culverwell, J. [1159] Eswatini K004621158 Yes
Wild, H. [6416] Zimbabwe K004449126 Yes
[M. Ncube] [66] Zimbabwe K004449137 Yes
Lugard, E.J. [35] Botswana K004449164 Yes
Leach, L.C. [9440] Zimbabwe K004449143 Yes
Mundy, H.G. [s.n.] Zimbabwe K004449121 Yes
Lugard, E.J. [246] Botswana K004449162 Yes
Lugard, E.J. [33] Botswana K004449163 Yes
Lovemore, D.F. [366] Zimbabwe K004449151 Yes
Chisumpa, S.M. [518] Zambia K004449103 Yes
Gilliland, H.B. [Q600] Zimbabwe K004449113 Yes
Menezes, A. [3542] Angola K004449183 Yes
Harbor, C.C. [[6637]] Botswana K004449165 Yes
Fanshawe, D.B. [F5898] Zambia K004449102 Yes
Drummond, R.B. [5585] Zimbabwe K004449144 Yes
Kesting (Dr) [[A516]] Togo K004447723 Yes
Myers, J.G. [10487] Sudan K004448028 Yes
Compton, R.H. [28925] Eswatini K004621154 Yes
Miller, O.B. [B80] Botswana K004449173 Yes
Harris, T.; Murray-Hudson, F. [1000] Angola K000569184 Yes
Baines, J. [s.n.] Botswana K004449160 Yes
Azancot de Menezes [882] Angola K004449196 Yes
Zimba, N.B.; Harder, D.K.; Luwiika, B. [765] Zambia K004449096 Yes
Rodin, R.J. [4500] Zambia K004449078 Yes
Rogers, F.A. [5252a] Zimbabwe K004449123 Yes
Welwitsch [341] Angola K000347469 Type Yes
Talbot, P.A. [s.n.] Nigeria K004447746 Yes
Browne, A.F. (Mr); Browne, A.F. (Mrs) [[85859]] Sudan K004448029 Yes
Fanshawe, D.B. [F5115] Zambia K004449089 Yes
White, F. [1944] Zambia K004449084 Yes
Fotius, G. [1963] Cameroon K004447829 Yes
Van Rensburg, H.J. [1559KBS] Zambia K004449099 Yes
Foster [33] Nigeria K004447749 Yes
Goyder, D.J.; Maiato, F. [7801] Angola K004449178 Yes
R-Smith; Pope; Goyder [5944] Malawi K004449075 Yes
Hutchinson, J.; Gillett, J.B. [3416] Zambia K004449080 Yes
Bingham, M.G.; Truluck, T.; de Waele, B. [11038] Zambia K004449082 Yes
Eyles, F. [2658] Zimbabwe K004449118 Yes
Friis, I.; Bidgood, S.; Ermias Getachew; Gichile, M. [9729] Ethiopia K004448017 Yes
Dawe, M.T. [410] Sierra Leone K004447720 Yes
[Maioth] [1078] Botswana K004449161 Yes
Keay, R.W.J.; Okeke, R.E. [FHI37780] Nigeria K004447753 Yes
Simon, B.K. [297] Zimbabwe K004449127 Yes
Smuts, J.C. [7320] Mozambique K004449067 Yes
Eyles, F. [2659] Zimbabwe K004449117 Yes
Gilbert, M.G.; Phillips, S.; Tefera, D. [9006] Ethiopia K004448018 Yes
Pole-Evans, I.B. [90] South Africa K004621152 Yes
Prior, J. [128] Eswatini K004621157 Yes
Lawton, R.M. [1053] Zambia K004449098 Yes
Foster, E.W. [33] Nigeria K004447750 Yes
Pearson, H.H.W. [2231] Angola K004449181 Yes
Richards, H.M. [14603] Botswana K004449158 Yes
Harris, D.J.; Fay, J.M. [2122] Central African Republic K004447830 Yes
Torre, A.R.; Correia, M.F. [18396] Mozambique K004449070 Yes
Ross; Moll [5081] South Africa K004621147 Yes
Van Son, G. [28830] Botswana K004449167 Yes
s.coll. [13] Sudan K004448026 Yes
Gerstner, J. [4952] South Africa K004621150 Yes
Pearson, H.H.W. [2524] Angola K004449188 Yes
Baum, H. [[556]] Angola K004449180 Yes
Latilo, M.G. [150] Nigeria K004447747 Yes
Chisumpa, S.M. [SMC449] Zambia K004449104 Yes
Ferrari, C. [s.n.] South Africa K004621151 Yes
Gomes e Sousa, A.F. [3690] Mozambique K004449062 Yes
Hopkins, J.C. [s.n.] Zimbabwe K004449157 Yes
Fanshawe, D.B. [F3796] Zambia K004449091 Yes
Jansen, P.C.M.; de Koning, J.; Zunguze, D. [PJ7461] Mozambique K004449068 Yes
Adams, C.D. [4943] Ghana K004447721 Yes
Angus, A. [1116] Zambia K004449087 Yes
Kirk, J. [s.n.] Mozambique K004449066 Yes
Goyder, D.J.; Barker, N.; Clark, V.R. [7555] Angola K000508973 Yes
Long, D.G.; Rae, D.A.H. [141] Botswana K004449177 Yes
de Aguiar Macedo, J.M. [4795] Mozambique K004449069 Yes
Mooney, H.F.; Brehme, K.L. [8957] Ethiopia K004448019 Yes
Harris, T.; Murray-Hudson, F. [751] Angola K004449194 Yes
Whellan, J.A. [1671] Zimbabwe K004449142 Yes
Davies, R.M. [332] Zimbabwe K004449139 Yes
Gomes e Sousa [3764] Mozambique K004449063 Yes
Fanshawe, D.B. [F9838] Zambia K004449107 Yes
Wild, H. [2005] Zimbabwe K004449154 Yes
Bamps, P.; Raimundo, F.; Matos, C. [4075] Angola K004449187 Yes
Turton, D.A. [DAT108] Ethiopia K004448020 Yes
Nanyeni, L.; Davidson, C.R. [LN1243] Namibia K004621160 Yes
Faulkner, H.G. [A215] Angola K004449189 Yes
Leach, L.C.; Rutherford-Smith, R. [10829] Malawi K004449076 Yes
Compton, R.H. [29463] Eswatini K004621153 Yes
Brummitt, R.K. [10436] Malawi K004449073 Yes
Burchell, W.J. [2154] South Africa K000422613 Type Yes
Miller, O.B. [B/472] Botswana K004449171 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Sierra Leone K004447719 Yes
Gomes e Sousa [2156] Mozambique K004449064 Yes
Friis, I.; Crawford, F.; Abebe, W.; Ermias Getachew [14278] Ethiopia K004448014 Yes
Monro, C.F.H. [810] Zimbabwe K004449119 Yes
Sousa, J.A. [29] Angola K004449184 Yes
Myers, J.G. [14034] Sudan K004448025 Yes
Bainbridge, W.R. [12/53] Zambia K004449088 Yes
Timberlake, J.R.; Cunliffe, R.N. [4412] Zimbabwe K004449111 Yes
Mitchell, B.L. [2951] Zambia K004449108 Yes
Gilbert, M.G.; Phillips, S.; Tefera, D. [8996] Ethiopia K004448022 Yes
Wickens, G.E. [895] Sudan K004448027 Yes
Angus, A. [1582] Zambia K004449094 Yes
Miller, O.B. [4558] Zimbabwe K004449147 Yes
Miller, O.B. [B/262] Botswana K004449172 Yes
Azancot de Menezes [1355] Angola K004449198 Yes
Gossweiler, J. [368] Angola K001307802 Yes
Miller, O.B. [B/598] Botswana K004449170 Yes
Bingham, M.G. [299a] Zimbabwe K004449141 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Angola K004449201 Yes
Burchell, W.J. [2631] South Africa K000422615 Unknown Type Material Yes
Smith, P.P. [1428] Zambia K004449095 Yes
Brenan, J.P.M. [7748] Zambia K004449079 Yes
Van Rensburg, H.J. [1296KBS] Zambia K004449100 Yes
Biegel, H.M. [2100] Zimbabwe K004449131 Yes
Henriques, C. [165] Angola K004449191 Yes
Holmes, W.D. [939] Zambia K004449086 Yes
Cole, D.T. [1336] Botswana K004449159 Yes
Borges, A. [342] Angola K004449186 Yes
Chase, N.C. [5556] Zimbabwe K004449148 Yes
Obeng-Darko, K. [3641] Ghana K004447722 Yes
Angus, A. [2892] Zambia K004449101 Yes
Punch [s.n.] Nigeria K004447751 Yes
Norrgrann, G. [266] Zimbabwe K004449135 Yes
Gossweiler, J. [4909] Angola K001307801 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] K004449145 Yes
Azancot de Menezes [570] Angola K004449190 Yes
Kirk, J. [s.n.] Mozambique K000347466 Type Yes
Talbot, P.A. [153] Nigeria K004447745 Yes
Aubréville, M. [2246] Cote d'Ivoire K004447717 Yes

Sources

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    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/