Croton avellaneus Croizat

An evergreen, monoecious, small to medium-sized tree up to 27 m tall; bole fairly straight, cylindrical, up to 70(-170) cm in diameter, without buttresses; bark surface finely fissured, greyish. Leaves arranged spirally, simple, entire to denticulate; blade cordate, with 2 glands at base, scaly below; stipules oblong, caducous. Flowers unisexual, in a terminal thyrse with female flowers solitary at base and male ones in cymules towards the apex; sepals 5, imbricate. Male flower with 5 petals; disk composed of 5 glands; stamens numerous, inflexed in bud; pistillode absent. Female flower without petals; disk annular; ovary superior, 3-locular with 1 ovule in each cell, styles 3, bifid. Fruit a capsule splitting into 3 or 6 parts, with a persistent calyx. Seed small, smooth. Seedling with epigeal germination; cotyledons emergent, leafy; hypocotyl elongated; all leaves arranged spirally.

In Java C. argyratus has been observed flowering throughout the year.

It usually occurs in well-drained locations on sandy clay, sandy loam, heavy loam with limestone or basaltic soils.

C. argyratus is found mainly in secondary rain forest and occasionally in monsoon forest including teak forest.

C. argyratus can be propagated by seed which has about 45% germination in 22-73 days.

Boundary or barrier or support: Some goat ranchers in the Philippines use live fences of Croton.

Lipids: The seeds yield an oil used in lamps. Timber: The wood is used for poles in house construction and for agricultural implements like tools handles.