Croton persimilis
Croton persimilis
Safety & Hazards
The seed oil is very similar to that of Croton tiglium, and the seeds are likewise purgative and considered poisonous[ 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. ]. Croton oil, obtained from the seed, is heavily irritating; contact with the skin causes inflammation and oedema[ 1894 Title Vegetable Fats and Oils Publication Author Krist S. (Translated by Barbara Bauer) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30314-3 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2020 ISBN 978-3-030-30314-3 Description ]. The toxic principles are crotonol, an extremely vesicant resin; and crotin, a delayed-action poison which causes blood-clotting. Symptoms of croton oil poisoning are firstly pain at the back of the throat, then in the anus. A dose of bismuth is an immediate antidote[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. Several esters of the diterpene phorbol have been isolated from croton resin. These are extremely irritant and also tumour promotors. Their presence in Croton tiglium and other Croton species means their consumption is sometimes held responsible for certain forms of nasopharyngeal cancer as they are able to activate Epstein-Barr viruses[ 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. , 1894 Title Vegetable Fats and Oils Publication Author Krist S. (Translated by Barbara Bauer) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30314-3 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2020 ISBN 978-3-030-30314-3 Description ].
Botanical Description
Croton persimilis is a deciduous shrub or tree usually growing up to 10 metres tall, occasionally to 15 metres. The bole can be 25cm in diameter[ 742 Title Flora of Thailand - Euphorbiaceae Publication Author van Welzen P.C. Website http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/thaieuph/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent site with masses of information about the species of Euphorbia found in Thailand. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use. It is sometimes grown as a hedge and is often planted as an ornamental, being valued especially for the brilliant red colour of its leaves before they fall[ 146 Title A Manual of Indian Timbers. Publication Author Gamble. J. S. Publisher Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Year 1972 ISBN - Description First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader. ]. The plant is also used as a rootstock for commercially cultivated Croton stellatopilosus plants.