Croton megalobotrys Müll. Arg.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Shashe Wilderness Camp, Shashe River

Photo: Bart Wursten
Long Pool Viewing Point, Mana Pools

Photo: Bart Wursten
Svisvi River bridge, Gokwe District.

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Synonyms:	Croton gubouga S. Moore
Common names:	Feverberry (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or small to medium-sized tree. Bark pale grey, smooth with lines of whitish lenticels and watery sap. Leaves alternate, ovate, up to 18 × 13 cm but often smaller, densely covered in stellate hairs, particularly below, 3-5-veined from the base; base rounded to shallowly cordate with two glands next to the petiole below; margin roughly toothed. Flowers pale creamy-yellow in terminal spikes, unisexual, both sexes on the same spike. Fruit a 3-lobed capsule, c. 3 cm in diameter, green, somewhat woolly only when young.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	megalobotrys: in big bunches, referring to the fruit.
Habitat:	On alluvial soils along rivers and swamps.
Flowering time:	Sep - Nov
Worldwide distribution:	Botswana, Caprivi-Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Botswana distribution:	N,SE
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 21 February 2016
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 440. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 18. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 496. (Includes a picture). Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Pages 328 - 329. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 56. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 252. Ellery, K. & W. (1997). Plants of the Okavango Delta, a Field Guide Tsaro Publishers, Durban, South Africa Page 106. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 89. (Includes a picture). Mannheimer, C. & Curtis B. (2009). Le Roux and Müller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia Macmillan Education, Windhoek, Namibia. Pages 256 - 257. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 41. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 48. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 288 - 289. Roodt, V. (1998). Trees and Shrubs of the Okavango Delta Shell Field Guide Series: Part I Shell Oil Botswana, Gaberone. Pages 70 - 71. (Includes a picture). Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 272 - 273. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 56. Setshogo, M.P. & Venter, F. (2003). Trees of Botswana: names and distribution SABONET Report No. 18 Southern African Botanical Diversity Network, Pretoria Page 55. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 207. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 104 - 105. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 116 - 117. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Croton megalobotrys:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: Croton megalobotrys
Flora of Malawi: Croton megalobotrys
Flora of Mozambique: Croton megalobotrys
Flora of Zambia: Croton megalobotrys
Flora of Zimbabwe: Croton megalobotrys

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Croton megalobotrys
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Croton megalobotrys
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Croton megalobotrys
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Croton megalobotrys
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iNaturalist: Croton megalobotrys
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Croton megalobotrys
JSTOR Plant Science: Croton megalobotrys
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Croton megalobotrys
Plants of the World Online: Croton megalobotrys
Tropicos: Croton megalobotrys
Wikipedia: Croton megalobotrys