Croton (genus)

Taxobox
name = "Croton"


image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Croton eleuteria"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Malpighiales
familia = Euphorbiaceae
subfamilia = Crotonoideae
tribus = Crotoneae
genus = "Croton"
genus_authority = L.
diversity = About 1,200 species
diversity_link = List of Croton species
subdivision_ranks = Selected Species
subdivision =
*"Croton acronychioides"
*"Croton alabamensis"
*"Croton alabamensis var. texensis"
*"Croton argyratus"
*"Croton aridus"
*"Croton arnhemicus"
*"Croton californicus" - California croton
*"Croton capitatus" - hogwort
*"Croton ciliato-glandsulosus"
*"Croton cortesianus"
*"Croton coryi" - Cory's croton
*"Croton corymbulosus" - encilla, manzanilla
*"Croton craco"
*"Croton crassifolius"
*"Croton dioicus" - grassland croton
*"Croton dissectistipulatus"
*"Croton draco"
*"Croton echinocarpus"
*"Croton eleuteria"
*"Croton elliottii" - Elliott's croton
*"Croton eluteria"
*"Croton flavens"
*"Croton floribundus"
*"Croton fruticulosus" - encinilla, bush croton
*"Croton glandulosus"
*"Croton glandulosus var. crenatifolius"
*"Croton glandulosus var. floridanus"
*"Croton glandulosus var. septentrionalis"
*"Croton glandulosus var. simpsonii"
*"Croton gossipifolius"
*"Croton gratissimus"
*"Croton guatemalensis"
*"Croton habrophyllus"
*"Croton hancei" - Hong Kong croton
*"Croton humilis" - pepperbush
*"Croton incanus" - Torrey's croton
*"Croton insularis" - Queensland's cascarilla
*"Croton lechleri"- Sangre de drago
*"Croton leucophyllus" - two-color croton
*"Croton linearis" - grannybush
*"Croton lobatus"
*"Croton lundianus"
*"Croton macrostachys"
*"Croton malambo"
*"Croton megalocarpus"
*"Croton monanthogynus" - prairie-tea
*"Croton morifolius"
*"Croton neomexicanus"
*"Croton niveus"
*"Croton oblongifolius"
*"Croton oligandrum"
*"Croton origanifolius"
*"Croton ovalifolius"
*"Croton palanostigma"
*"Croton parksii" - Parks' croton
*"Croton poilanei"
*"Croton populifolius"
*"Croton pottsii" - leatherweed
*"Croton prunifolius"
*"Croton punctatus" - Gulf croton
*"Croton reflexifolius"
*"Croton repens"
*"Croton roxburghii"
*"Croton salutaris"
*"Croton schultzii"
*"Croton setigerus" - Turkey mullein
*"Croton sonorae"
*"Croton suaveolens" - scented croton
*"Croton texensis" - Texas croton
*"Croton tiglium"
*"Croton tomentellus"
*"Croton variegatum"
*"Croton watsonii"
*"Croton wigginsii" - Wiggins' croton
*"Croton xalapensis"See also:
*List of Croton species
*Taxonomy of the genus Croton

"Croton" is an extensive plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae established by Carolus Linnaeus in 1737. The common names for this genus are rushfoil and croton, but this latter also refers to "Codiaeum variegatum". The genus name comes from Greek "Kroton", which means "ticks", because of the seeds' resemblance to ticks.

The best known member of this genus is probably "Croton tiglium", commonly called croton, a tree or shrub native to Southeast Asia. Croton oil, used in herbal medicine as a violent purgative, is extracted from its seeds. Nowadays, it is considered unsafe and it is no longer listed in the pharmacopeias of many countries.

Croton oil has found recent usage as the active ingredient in facial-rejuvenating chemical peels when used in a phenol-based solution, thanks to its caustic exfoliating effect on the dermal layer of the skin.

"Croton" species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including "Schinia citrinellus", which feeds exclusively on the plant.

Cascarilla ("Croton eleuteria") is found exclusively in the Bahama Islands. It is a small tree, rarely reaching 20 feet in height, with scanty, alternate, ovate-lanceolate leaves, averaging 2 inches long, closely scaled below, giving a metallic silver-bronze appearance, with scattered white scales above. The flowers are small, with white petals, and very fragrant, appearing in March and April. The scented bark is fissured and pale yellowish brown. Its pungent-smelling bark is used as a flavoring, principally for liqueurs such as Campari.

Distribution

The genus is pantropical.

ynonyms

This genus is also known under a lot of other names:
*"Agelandra" Engl. & Pax
*"Aldinia" Raf.
*"Angelandra" Endl.
*"Anisepta" Raf.
*"Anisophyllum" Boivin ex Baill.
*"Argyra" Noronha ex Baill.
*"Argyrodendron" (Endl.) Klotzsch (non. F. Muell.)
*"Astraea" Klotzsch
*"Astrogyne" Benth.
*"Aubertia" Chapel. ex Baill.
*"Banalia" Raf.
*"Barhamia" Klotzsch
*"Brachystachys" Klotzsch
*"Calypteriopetalon" Hassk.
*"Cascarilla" Adans.
*"Centrandra" H.Karst.
*"Cieca" Adans.
*"Cleodora" Klotzsch
*"Codonocalyx" Klotzsch ex Baill.
*"Comatocroton" H.Karst.
*"Crotonanthus" Klotzsch ex Schltdl.
*"Crotonopsis" Michx.
*"Cyclostigma" Klotzsch
*"Decarinium" Raf.
*"Drepadenium" Raf.
*"Eluteria" Steud.
*"Engelmannia" Klotzsch
*"Eremocarpus" Benth.
*"Eutrophia" Klotzsch
*"Friesia" Spreng.
*"Furcaria" Boivin ex Baill.
*"Geiseleria" Klotzsch
*"Gynamblosis" Torr.
*"Halecus" Raf.
*"Hendecandras" Eschsch.
*"Heptallon" Raf.
*"Heterochlamys" Turcz.
*"Heterocroton" S.Moore
*"Julocroton" Mart.
*"Klotzschiphytum" Baill.
*"Kurkas" Raf.
*"Lasiogyne" Klotzsch
*"Leptemon" Raf.
*"Leucadenia" Klotzsch ex Baill.
*"Luntia" Neck. ex Raf.
*"Macrocroton" Klotzsch
*"Medea" Klotzsch
*"Merleta" Raf.
*"Monguia" Chapel. ex Baill.
*"Myriogomphus" Didr.
*"Ocalia" Klotzsch
*"Oxydectes" Kuntze
*"Palanostigma" Mart. ex Klotzsch
*"Penteca" Raf.
*"Pilinophyton" Klotzsch
*"Piscaria" Piper
*"Pleopadium" Raf.
*"Podostachys" Klotzsch
*"Saipania" Hosok.
*"Schradera" Willd.
*"Semilta" Raf.
*"Tiglium" Klotzsch
*"Timandra" Klotzsch
*"Tridesmis" Lour.
*"Triplandra" Raf.
*"Vandera" Raf.

External links

*http://www.botany.wisc.edu/croton/
*http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/croto118.html