Croton schiedeanus
Schltdl.
Euphorbiaceae
Croton perobtusus Lundell
Oxydectes schiedeana (Schltdl.) Kuntze
Common Name:
Leaves, female (the green globes) and male flowers
Photograph by: Indiana Coronado
General Information
Croton schiedeanus is an evergreen shrub, more commonly a tree, growing around 10 - 15 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 15 - 20cm in diameter[
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. It is sometimes cultivated in Mexico[
].
Croton schiedeanus has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
369- Title
- Flora of Costa Rica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
- Year
- 1938
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
,
421- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 54
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1967
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
Range
S. America - northern Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama to Mexico.
Habitat
An understorey tree in forests, most commonly found along roadsides and stream banks where insolation is abundant and secondary growth thrives[
]. Usually found at elevations below 500 metres[
421- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 54
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1967
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 12.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bees, Wasps, Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a sunny position[
]. Most Croton species are relatively indifferent to their habitat and can grow on a wide range of soils in both disturbed and undisturbed vegetation[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant can flower at almost any time of the year[
].
The freshly pealed bark exudes a strong, penetrating, medicine-like odour of menthol or pine[
].
Edible Uses
The plant is edible[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
]. A somewhat questionable report, the genus as a whole is known for containing anti-nutritional substances, with some species being very toxic[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
The leaves are placed on wounds to help reduce inflammation and swelling[
].
The plant (part not specified) is used in the treatment of throat infections[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The flowers are very attractive to bees[
].
Other Uses
A gum exuding from the trunk is used to clean the teeth[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
The wood is used for construction and as stakes for fences[
,
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
The wood is used for fuel[
,
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
