Umunege (Croton Tree)
Croton megalocarpus
A fast-growing tree to about 36m with a distinctive flat, spreading crown. Its long oval leaves are silvery underneath, and it produces nuts twice a year that are rich enough in oil to be used for biofuel.
- Kinyarwanda name
- Umunege
- English name
- Croton Tree
- Scientific name
- Croton megalocarpus
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN)
Habitat
A dominant upper-canopy tree of evergreen and semi-deciduous forest at 700-2,400m; also riverine woodland and wooded grassland.
Distribution
Native to 10 sub-Saharan countries including Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania; a GBIF occurrence record exists from Rwanda.
Uses
Shade, wind protection and soil conservation. Traditional medicine. The nuts are used to make biofuel or biodiesel.
Ecological importance
Flowers are insect/bee-pollinated, producing a dark, strongly-flavoured honey; dense canopy provides bird nesting sites; the tree is notably avoided by browsing animals, aiding its survival on farm boundaries.
Ibisobanuro
ubyugamo, kurinda umuyaga, gufata ubutaka neza. Imbuto zivamo amavuta akoreshwa na moteri.