Croton bonplandianus

Scientific name: Croton bonplandianus Baill.

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonym: Croton sparsiflorus Morong

Bengali/Vernacular name: Ban tulsi, Bankhira.

Tribal name: Pai hiya (Marma), Nakphul (Chakma), Aa-sthu-pru (Rakhaing).

English name: Bonplants’s croton.

Description of the plant: A much-branched, woody herb, 20-50 cm tall, branches moderately stellate-hairy to glabrous. Leaves alternate or subopposite, shortly petiolate; lamina 1.2-3.2 cm long, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, apex acute, cuneate at base. Inflorescence terminal, 6-9 cm long, flowers laxly distributed. Male flowers small, white occupies the upper portion of the inflorescence. Female flowers few at the base of the inflorescence. Fruit a capusule, oblong-ellipsoid, shallowly 3-lobed, pale brown, sparsely stellate-hariy.

Plant parts used: Whole plant.

Medicinal uses: Whole plant is used in for the treatment of headache, fever, scabies and neuralgia.

Distribution: Throughout the country along waysides and fallow lands.

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