Croton discolor
Croton discolor, commonly known as the Copperleaf plant, is a striking ornamental shrub celebrated for its dramatic, bronze-tinted foliage. Native to tropical regions, it is frequently used in landscaping for its vibrant colors. Beyond its beauty, this plant holds significant ethnobotanical value in traditional medicine for various healing purposes.
- Scientific name: Croton discolor
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Northern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, known scientifically as Croton discolor, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malpighiales and the family Euphorbiaceae. It is specifically identified under the genus Croton.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Croton | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Croton discolor, is referred to by several different common names depending on the linguistic context. In French, it is recognized by the names Cascarilla discolor and Oxydectes discolor.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| fr | Cascarilla discolor | Wikidata |
| fr | Oxydectes discolor | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily found within the southeastern United States, specifically occurring in the state of Florida. Its presence extends significantly into the Caribbean region, where it thrives in various island environments. It can be located throughout the Bahamas and across the island of Hispaniola, including the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Additionally, the species is distributed among the islands of the Leeward archipelago. Together, these locations define the tropical and subtropical range of Croton discolor.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern U.S.A. | Florida | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Bahamas | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Dominican Republic | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Haiti | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Leeward Is. | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Puerto Rico | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Turks-Caicos Is. | WCVP |
Activities
Croton discolor has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Croton discolor has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include breast cancer.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| breast cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |