Croton gibsonianus Nimmo (EUPHORBIACEAE)
Description: Bushes reaching heights of up to 5 meters, with branchlets that have sparse stellate hairs when young. The leaves are elliptic or elliptic-oblong, measuring up to 18 by 4 centimeters, rounded at the base, pointed at the apex, with glandular-serrated margins. At the base of the midrib, there is a pair of stalked glands.Stipules linear. Flowers in terminal racemes with male flowers above and female at base. Male flowers in fascicles, yellowish. Calyx lobes 4, ovate, white-woolly at margins. Petals 4. Stamens 10-11. Disc of 5 free glands. Female flowers solitary at each bract. Calyx lobes 5, stellate – hairy without. Petals 0. Disc saucer-shaped. Ovary stellate-tomentose; styles 3. Schizocarp ovoid, ca 1.2 cm long, 3-lobed, stellate-hairy. Seed 1 in each locule, ovoid, ca 6 mm long.
Flowering & Fruiting : September – March.
Distribution: India: Western peninsular India. In undergrowth of semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. Maharashtra and Karnataka.
