Croton macrostachyus Hochst. ex Delile

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Thazima Gate, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:	Croton butaguensis De Wild. Croton zambesicus sensu De Wild. pro parte; non Müll. Arg.
Common names:	Broad-leaved Croton (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Spreading tree up to 30 m tall. Bark smooth to finely reticulate, pale grey or greyish-brown, slightly corky. Brachlets greyish stellate-pubescent when young. Leaves ovate, 6–18 cm long, 5–7-veined from the base, pointed at the apex cordate at the base with a pair of glands at the base beneath, sparingly stellate-pubescent above, more densely so beneath; margin shallowly crenate-serrate to subentire; petiole 3–12 cm long, stellate pubescent; stipules linear to filiform-setaceous, 5–7 mm long, falling early. Flowers in terminal racemes up to 35 cm long, fragrant, unisexual usually on different trees sometimes together on the same tree, pale creamy-yellow. Female flowers sometimes with petals absent. Fruit up to 1.5 cm long and wide, slightly 3-4-lobed, rough and stellate-pubescent, pale greyish-green.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	macrostachyus: large-spiked
Habitat:	Evergreen forest, Brachystegia woodland and wooded grassland, often on rocky hillsides, on termitaria.
Altitude range:	825 - 1830 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Wisdespread in tropical Africa and Madagascar.
Mozambique distribution:	Z,T
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Monday 22 April 2019
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 144. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 439. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 55. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 18. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 41. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 48. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 287 - 288. White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Page 248.

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Flora of Burundi: Croton macrostachyus
Flora of Malawi: Croton macrostachyus
Flora of Zambia: Croton macrostachyus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Croton macrostachyus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Croton macrostachyus
African Plant Database: Croton macrostachyus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Croton macrostachyus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Croton macrostachyus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Croton macrostachyus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Croton macrostachyus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Croton macrostachyus
JSTOR Plant Science: Croton macrostachyus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Croton macrostachyus
Plants of the World Online: Croton macrostachyus
Tropicos: Croton macrostachyus
Wikipedia: Croton macrostachyus