越南巴豆 yue nan ba dou

Croton tonkinensis Gagnepain.

Shrubs 1-5 m tall; indumentum of densely glaucous gray to grayish brown and appressed deeply fimbriate peltate scales/stellate hairs; older branches glaucous-gray, scales gradually deciduous. Petioles 1-3(-5) cm, apex with 2 cupular glands; leaf blade ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 5-14 × 2-7 cm, papery, abaxially glaucous-gray to gray-brown, adaxially usually dark brown when dry, with smaller scale-glands, base rounded to broadly cuneate, margins entire, apex acuminate, rarely shortly acuminate; basal veins 3, lateral veins 3-5, arcuately ascending, anastomosing before margins. Inflorescence terminal, 5-15 cm; bracts ovate-lanceolate, 2-3 mm. Male flowers: sepals ovate, ca. 1.5 mm, with scale-glands; petals long elliptic to linear, ca. 2 mm, margins woolly; stamens 12; filaments with woolly lower parts. Female flowers: sepals lanceolate, ca. 2.5 mm, with scales; ovary subglobose, with scale-glands; styles 2-lobed. Capsules subglobose, 4-6 mm, ovoid, ca. 3.5 mm, dark red. Fl. and fr. almost throughout year.

Open forests; near sea level to 2000 m. Hainan (near sea level to 100 m), Yunnan (700-2000 m) [Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].