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<big>''[[Croton megalocarpus]]'' Hutch.</big>
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Croton megalocarpus'' (PROTA)}}
[[File:Map Croton megalocarpus.gif|thumb|distribution in Africa (wild)]]
[[File:Linedrawing Croton megalocarpus.gif|thumb|1, tree habit; 2, flowering twig; 3, seeds. Redrawn and adapted by Achmad Satiri Nurhaman]]
:Protologue: Oliv., Fl. trop. Afr. 6(1): 760 (1912).
== Vernacular names ==
*Croton (En). *Msenefu (Sw).
== Origin and geographic distribution ==
== Description ==
*Medium-sized to fairly large tree up to 35 m tall; bole cylindrical, branchless for up to 20 m, up to 100(–120) cm in diameter; bark surface densely longitudinally fissured, rough, cracking, pale grey-brown, inner bark yellowish or pale brown; crown spreading, flat, with branches in layers; twigs densely scaly. *Leaves alternate, simple and entire; stipules linear-filiform, 0.5–1 cm long; petiole 2–8(–11) cm long, densely scaly; blade ovate to elliptical-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, (4–)7–14(–19) cm × (1.5–)3–7(–11) cm, cuneate to rounded or shallowly cordate at base, with 2(–4) basal glands, shortly acuminate at apex, thickly papery to thinly leathery, scaly at both surfaces, silvery below, pinnately veined with 15–25 pairs of lateral veins. *Inflorescence a terminal pendulous raceme up to 30 cm long, densely scaly, completely male or with a few female flowers at base. *Flowers unisexual, regular, 5-merous, yellowish; pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm long; calyx with triangular-ovate lobes up to 4.5 mm × 3.5 mm; petals free, c. 5 mm long; male flowers with obovate petals, free disk glands and 25–30(–40) free stamens up to 8 mm long; female flowers with linear petals, annular to shallowly 5-lobed disk, superior, globose to slightly 3-lobed ovary c. 4 mm in diameter, and 3 shortly 2-fid styles. *Fruit an ellipsoid-ovoid to globose capsule 2.5–4.5 cm long, scaly, greyish brown, with thick, woody endocarp, dehiscent from the apex, 3-seeded. *Seeds ellipsoid-ovoid to oblong-ellipsoid, flattened, 2–2.5 cm long, slightly ridged and rough, whitish to grey-brown.
== Other botanical information ==
The wood of several other ''Croton'' species is used in tropical Africa, but none of them is important.
In Ghana the wood of ''[[Croton penduliflorus]](PROTA)|'' Croton penduliflorus'']] Hutch., a small to medium-sized tree up to 20 m tall, is used for rafters. But is is also a medicinal plant.
=== ''Croton longiracemosus'' ===
*Mineral inclusions: 136: prismatic crystals present; 138: prismatic crystals in procumbent ray cells; (139: prismatic crystals in radial alignment in procumbent ray cells).
{{right|(P. Mugabi, P.E. Gasson & E.A. Wheeler)}}
== Growth and development ==
== Author(s) ==
* A. Maroyi , Botany Department, Rhodes University, Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
== Correct citation of this article ==
Maroyi, A., 2010. '''Croton megalocarpus''' Hutch. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Lemmens, R.H.M.J., Louppe, D. & Oteng-Amoako, A.A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>.
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