Croton bonplandianum (ban tulsi)

Croton bonplandianum

COMMON NAME: ban tulsi or jungle tulsi, kala bhangra

BOTANICAL NAME: Croton bonplandianum

FAMILY: Euphorbiaceae (castor family)

DESCRIPTION: 

This is a wild and weed flower from the flowering genus Croton. We call it as ban tuli because resemblance of leaves and flower to that of basil (tulsi). Its is an annual herb plant grows mainly as a bush, profoundly grows around the canal, river banks, big drainage, waste lands,etc. areas. 

LEAF:- Alternatively arranged around the stem , lance shaped with toothed margins Normally the Croton's are famous for its lovely foliage. At some regions this weed has already identified as noxious. Touching eyes after touching its leaves and flowers cause inflammation.

FLOWER:-Small white flowers borne is long racemes at the end of the branches. Flowers have 5 petals and 5 sepals. Flowers are shortly stalked.  From the naked eyes only long stamens are noticeable from the flowers.

FRUIT:-Fruit is oblong capsule like. It has warty surface.

USES OF PLANT:-

• People use it as both fuel and detergent. First the stems and branches are used as fuel and afterwards the ash is collected and kept in a bottle for 5-6 days. Then the ash is put in warm water and used as a detergents for cleaning cotton garments.
• Leaf paste is applied for the skin diseases

SOURCES: Lonely travellers (http://icwow.blogspot.in/2013/01/bon-tulshi-croton-bonplandianum.html) and Flowers of India (http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Ban%20Tulsi.html)