Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
differentiation can be effected by the macroscopic examination of the leaves and the variations
in the dominant colors of the flowers.
J. curcas
has yellowish-green flowers;
J. gossypiifolia
Linn
has deep red purple flowers and in lax cymes; and
J. podagrica
has dark red flowers and in con-
gested cymes. The profile mainly concerns
J. curcas,
but references are made to the other species
as appropriate.
JATROPHA CURCAS
Botanical Name —
Jatropha curcas
Linn.
Synonyms —
Castiglionia lobata
Ruiz & Pav.,
Curcas adansonii
Endl.,
Manihot curcas
( L.)
Crantz.,
Ricinus americanus
Mill.
Family —
Euphorbiaceae
Common Names —
Physic nut, termite nut, Barbados nut, fig nut
African Names —
Hausa: bini da zugu, chi ni da zugu; Fulani: jkwolkwelaje; Bwari: kwotewi;
Bini: oru-ebo; Igbo: ololu-idu, uru-eekpa, elu, and more; Efik: eto-mkpa; Anang: mbubok; Ibibio:
eto-mkpo; Yoruba: botuje, lapalapa, seluju, polopolo, and more; for other Yoruba district names, see
the work of Gbile.
678
Description —
This is a shrub or small tree growing up to 6 m high with viscid milky sap,
which sometimes is reddish and gummy. The leaves are 5 lobed or sometimes entire, openly cordate
at the base, with small stipules and undulating margins, 15 cm long and broad. It flowers April-
May; yellowish-green, the male and female flowers are borne at different times of the same inflores-
cence; petals are 6-7 mm long. The fruits occur as long, black subspherical capsules, scarcely lobed,
2.5-4 cm long, and containing about three blackish oil-rich seeds, about 2 cm long.
9
Habitat and Distribution —
It is a widespread tropical plant and cultivated as an ornamental
tree throughout the continent.
