Aleurites

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Malpighiales

Familia: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamilia: Crotonoideae
Tribus: Aleuritideae
Subtribus: Aleuritinae
Genus: Aleurites
Species: A. moluccanus – A. rockinghamensis
Name

Aleurites J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., 1776

Type species: Aleurites moluccanus J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Ambinax Comm. ex A.Juss., Gen. Pl.: 389 (1789), not validly publ.
Camirium Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 194 (1791).
Telopea Sol. ex Baill., Étude Euphorb.: 345 (1858).

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Trop. & Subtrop. Asia to NE. Australia

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Forster, J.R. & Forster, J.G.A. 1776. Characteres generum plantarum, quas in itinere ad insulas maris Australis : collegerunt, descripserunt, delinearunt, annis 1772–1775. [Editio secunda.] x + 150 pp., 75 tab., Londini: apud B. White, T. Cadell, & P. Elmsly. BHL Reference page. : 111.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Aleurites in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Jun 11. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Aleurites. Published online. Accessed: Jun 11 2020.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Aleurites in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Jun 11. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2020. Aleurites. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Jun 11.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. 2020 Aleurites in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: Jun 11.

Vernacular names
azərbaycanca: Yağlıağac
беларуская: Тунг
čeština: Tungovník
svenska: Tungträd
українська: Тунг
Tiếng Việt: Chi Lai
中文: 石栗属

Aleurites is a small genus of arborescent flowering plants in the Euphorbiaceae, first described as a genus in 1776.[3][4] It is native to China, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Papuasia, and Queensland. It is also reportedly naturalized on various islands (Pacific and Indian Oceans, plus the Caribbean) as well as scattered locations in Africa, South America, and Florida.[1][5][6]

These monoecious, evergreen trees are perennials or semiperennials. These are large trees, 15–40 m (49–131 ft) tall, with spreading, drooping, and rising branches.

The leaves are alternate, lobate, ovate to ovate-lanceolate with minute stipules. They are pubescent on both sides when young, but in a later stage they become glabrous.

The inflorescence consists of terminal plumes of small, creamy white, bell-shaped, fragrant flowers, branching from the base. The flowers are usually bisexual, with a solitary pistillate flower at the end of each major axis. The lateral cymes are staminate. There are five or six imbricate petals. The staminate flowers are mostly longer and thinner than the pistillate flowers, with 17–32 glabrous stamens in four whorls. The pistillate flowers have a superior ovary.

The fruits are rather large drupes with a fleshy exocarp and a thin, woody endocarp. They vary in shape, according to the numbers of developed locules. They contain oleiferous, poisonous seeds.

The oil has been used as a paraffin and lubricant, and as a constituent of varnish, paint, and soap. Once poisonous substances are removed, it can be used as a cooking oil.

Some deciduous Chinese species are now classified under a separate genus Vernicia.

The name Aleurites is derived from the Ancient Greek: ἄλευρον meaning "wheaten flour" or "ground meal",[7] because of the appearance of the lower surface of the leaf.

Taxonomy and nomenclature

Linnaeus assigned the Latin feminine grammatical gender to the genus name Aleurites, as for example in the species name Aleurites moluccana. The current International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants has standardized all genus names ending in -ites to use the masculine gender, so the correct name of the species Aleurites moluccanus.[8][9]
Species
Candlenut (Aleurites moluccanus)
Candlenut seedling

Accepted species[1][10]

The most widespread species is the candlenut (Aleurites moluccanus), occurring from tropical Asia and the Pacific, from India to China and Polynesia, Australia and New Zealand. Some botanists only recognize two species, A. moluccanus and A. rockinghamensis.

Aleurites moluccanus (L.) Willd. – Indian walnut, candlenut tree, country walnut, aburagiri, ama - most of genus range
Aleurites rockinghamensis (Baill.) P.I.Forst. - Papua New Guinea, Queensland

formerly included[1]

moved to other genera: Croton, Mallotus, Omphalea, Reutealis, Vernicia

A. cordatus - Vernicia cordata
A. erraticus - Omphalea papuana
A. fordii - Vernicia fordii
A. japonicus - Vernicia cordata
A. laccifer - Croton laccifer
A. montanus - Vernicia montana
A. peltatus - Mallotus peltatus
A. saponarius - Reutealis trisperma
A. trispermus - Reutealis trisperma
A. vernicifluus - Vernicia cordata
A. vernicius - Vernicia montana

References

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
"Genus: Aleurites J. R. Forst. & G. Forst". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-10-05. Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
Forster, Johann Reinhold & Forster, Johann Georg Adam. 1775. Characteres Generum Plantarum 111, pl. 56
Tropicos, Aleurites J.R. Forst. & G. Forst.
Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1–1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flora of China Page 265 石栗属 shi li shu Aleurites J. R. Forster & G. Forster, Char. Gen. Pl. 111. 1776.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Aleurites" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 543.
"Aleurites moluccanus". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2018-01-10.
McNeill, J.; Barrie, F.R.; Buck, W.R.; Demoulin, V.; Greuter, W.; Hawksworth, D.L.; Herendeen, P.S.; Knapp, S.; Marhold, K.; Prado, J.; Prud'homme Van Reine, W.F.; Smith, G.F.; Wiersema, J.H.; Turland, N.J. (2012). International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code) adopted by the Eighteenth International Botanical Congress Melbourne, Australia, July 2011. Regnum Vegetabile 154. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag KG. ISBN 978-3-87429-425-6. Article 62.4

"GRIN Species Records of Aleurites". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-10-09.

Further reading
Stuppy, W.; P.C. van Welzen; P. Klinratana; M.C.T. Posa (1999). "Revision of the genera Aleurites, Reutealis and Vernicia (Euphorbiaceae)". Blumea. 44: 73–98.