Croton bonplandianus Baill.

Global description
 
Croton bonplandianus is an erect plant, highly branched. The stem is finely striated, covered with stellate hairs, silvery, more or less sparse. The stem is lignified at the base. The leaves are simple and arranged alternately. They are glabrous, finely dentated edge and are dark green on the underside, slightly paler on the other side. The crushed leaves give off a strong odor. The small white flowers are arranged along a terminal inflorescence. First flowers are female, giving fruit with elongated capsule containing 3 loculus, the male flowers are arranged in groups of 2 or 3 in the terminal portion of the inflorescence.
 
Cotyledons
 
Cotyledons are elliptic to oblong, 10 mm long and 4 mm wide. They are stalked. The leaf blade is glabrous.
 
First leaves
 
The first leaves are simple and alternate. The petiole, 1 to 5 mm long is sparsely covered with stellate hairs. It has two discoid glands at its end on the underside of the blade. The blade is elliptical in shape. The top and base are wedged. The margin is dentated. The upper side is glabrous, the bottom is sparsely covered with stellate hairs, applied, silvery white in color. The stem has the same stellate hairs sparsely scattered.
 
General habit
 
Branched herb, up to 40 cm high, more or less covered with stellate hairs, silvery white, more or less sparse. The branches located at the base are lignified.
 
Underground system
 
The plant has a taproot system.
 
 
Stem
 
The stem is striated to finely fluted, 1 cm in diameter, covered with white stellate hairs applied. At the base of the plant, the branches can lignify.
 
Leaf
 
The leaves are simple, alternate. The petiole is slightly pink, 1 to 6 mm long, sparsely covered with applied stellate hairs. It held two discoid glands at its end on the underside of the blade. The leaf blade,2.4 to 6 cm and 3 to 25 mm wide, oval lanceolate, gradually attenuated toward the acute apex. Its base ending is wedged. The margin is dentated. The upper side is dark green, glabrous, while the underside has few silver, sparse stellate hairs.
 
Inflorescence
 
The inflorescence is disposed in terminal raceme, 3 to 15 cm long. At the base of the inflorescence has 2 to 4 female flowers. Male flowers, solitary or in groups of 2 to 3 occupy the rest of the inflorescence.
 
Flower
 
The flowers are shortly stalked (1 to 2 mm). The pedicel, has some stellate hairs, and two discoid glands at its end. The calyx consists of 5 triangular sepals fused at base, 1 mm long. The corolla, which is absent in female flowers, and is formed of 5 oblong white petals, a little longer than the tines of the calyx. Presence of a 5 lobed discs at the base of the flower. Ovary trilocular, oblong, sparsely covered with stellate hairs and topped with 3 bifid orange-red styles.
 
 
Fruit
 
The fruit is a capsule, rapidly dehiscent, with 3 loculus, oblong in shape, 4 to 6 mm long and 4 mm wide. On each lobe, a line of stellate hairs is observed. Each loculus contains a seed. Persistent central column more or less clavate.
 
 
Seed
 
Greyish, shiny seed, 4 to 5 mm long and 2 mm wide.

Origin

Croton bonplandianus is native to central South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay).

Worldwide distribution

This species is introduced and naturalized in Kenya, the Mascarene Islands (Reunion, Mauritius), India and Southeast Asia.

https://www.gbif.org/species/3058543