Synonyms: Jatropha L. moluccana, Aleurites triloba JR & G. Forst.
Common name: Tree candle
Place of Origin: Native to China, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Polynesia and is cultivated throughout the tropics.
Etymology: Aleurites, Greek aleuro = dough stage, because the new shoots of some species appear to be coated with flour. Moluccana, Latin moluccanus-a-um, a native of the Moluccas islands.
Description: evergreen tree, monoecious, 5-10 m tall, straight trunk with gray bark with lenticels leafy crown, more or less pyramidal, with the young twigs puberulent. Leaves alternate, ovate to elliptic lanceolate, sometimes with 3-5 rounded lobes on the young shoots of 14-20 x 7-17 cm, base broadly cuneate or obtuse, the lobes 1-5 margin entire bit ocn marked and the apex acute or acuminate. Lamina pubescent to stellate hairs which persist in the venation when the leaves are mature. Petiole 5-12 (-15) cm long, puberulous, with two glands the insertion with the blade. Terminal panicles 15-20 cm long, flowers unisexual, small, white, fragrant. Calyx with 2-3 lobes, puberulous; corolla with 5 petals oblong to lanceolate, 6-10 mm long. Female flowers larger than male, with tomentose ovary of 2 (-3) cores and 2 styles bifid. The male with 15-20 stamens arranged in 3-4 series. Drupacea fruit, ovoid or globose, 5-6 cm in diameter, green and fleshy. Contains 1-2 seeds globose.
Cultivation and uses: It is grown from seed. Requires acceptable quality soils, lack of lime. Its seeds get plenty of oil used as fuel, paints and varnishes. The seeds are purgative and thus high power are used in medicine. Apparently the fruit is eaten by the natives in certain areas. It is an excellent tree for alignments, but requires warm climates such as the Canary Islands.
