Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 22, 2026

Paracroton pendulus

Paracroton pendulus is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a tree native to the Western Ghats of southwestern India, Sri Lanka, southern Myanmar, Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines.

Last revised
Jun 22, 2026
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Paracroton pendulus
Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Paracroton
Species:
P. pendulus
Binomial name
Paracroton pendulus
Subspecies2
  • Paracroton pendulus subsp. pendulus
  • Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus (Thwaites) N.P.Balakr. & Chakr.
Synonyms3
  • Blumeodendron muelleri Kurz
  • Croton pendulus Hassk.
  • Fahrenheitia collina Rchb. & Zoll. ex Müll.Arg.
  • Fahrenheitia pendula (Hassk.) Airy Shaw
  • Ostodes collina (Rchb. & Zoll. ex Müll.Arg.) Pax
  • Ostodes macrophylla (Müll.Arg.) Benth. & Hook.f.
  • Ostodes pendula (Hassk.) A.Meeuse
  • Ostodes serratocrenata Merr.
  • Paracroton pendulus subsp. pendulus
  • Trigonostemon macrophyllus (Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.
  • Tritaxis macrophylla Müll.Arg.

Paracroton pendulus is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a tree native to the Western Ghats of southwestern India, Sri Lanka, southern Myanmar, Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines.21

It is a canopy or subcanopy tree in tropical moist evergreen forests from 150 to 1800 meters elevation.4

Description

  • Leaves - simple, alternate; lamina elliptic to oblanceolate; apex acuminate; margin serrate.
  • Flowers - unisexual flowers are dioecious. inflorescence is panicled pendulous racemes.
  • Fruits - globose brownish tomentose capsule.
  • Uses - timber, medicine. red sap is known to have irritating ability.5

Subspecies

Two subspecies are accepted.2

  • Paracroton pendulus subsp. pendulus – southern Myanmar to the Philippines
  • Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus (Thwaites) N.P.Balakr. & Chakr. (synonyms Desmostemon zeylanicus Thwaites, Fahrenheitia zeylanica (Thwaites) Airy Shaw, Ostodes zeylanica (Thwaites) Müll.Arg., and Trigonostemon zeylanicus (Thwaites) Müll.Arg.) – southwestern India and Sri Lanka6
References

References

  1. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. 2018. Paracroton pendulus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T135805578A135805580. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T135805578A135805580.en. Accessed 11 August 2025.
  2. "Paracroton pendulus (Hassk.) Miq". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  3. "Paracroton pendulus (Hassk.) Miq. — The Plant List". theplantlist.org.
  4. "Paracroton pendulus - EUPHORBIACEAE". biotik.org.
  5. "Paracroton pendulus". asianplant.net.
  6. "Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus (Thwaites) N.P.Balakr. & Chakr". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 August 2025.