Triadica sebifera

Triadica sebifera
Leaves and buds
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Triadica
Species:
T. sebifera
Binomial name
Triadica sebifera
Synonyms
  • Croton sebiferum L.
  • Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb.

Triadica sebifera is a tree native to eastern Asia (Chinese 乌桕, wū jiù). It is commonly called Chinese tallow,[2] Chinese tallowtree, Florida aspen, chicken tree, gray popcorn tree,[3] or candleberry tree.[4]

The seeds (as well as from those of Triadica cochinchinensis) are the sources of stillingia oil, a drying oil used in paints and varnishes. The fatty coat of the seeds, used for candle and soap making, is known as stillingia tallow; hence its common name. It is relevant to biodiesel production because it is the third most productive vegetable oil producing crop in the world, after algae and oil palm.[citation needed] The leaves are used as herbal medicine to treat boils. The plant sap[5] and leaves are reputed to be toxic, and decaying leaves from the plant are toxic to other species of plants. The species is classified as a noxious invader in the southern U.S.[6][7]

This species and T. cochinchinensis were formerly classified in the genus Stillingia, as Stillingia sebifera and Stillingia discolor (hence the name still used for the oil and tallow). The specific epithet sebifera is derived from Latin sebum (meaning "tallow"[8]) and fero (meaning "to bear"[9]), thus "tallow-bearing". At some time before 1950, this tree was reclassified into the genus Sapium as Sapium sebiferum, and many papers about the oil still refer to the tree by this name. In 2002 or so it was reclassified again into the genus Triadica with its present name.[10]

  1. ^ Ye, J.; Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Triadica sebifera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T18435729A147645142. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  2. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Triadica sebifera". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Chinese Tallow Tree". Going Native. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Triadica sebifera". Plant Conservation Alliance, Alien Plant Working Group. United States National Park Service. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  5. ^ Little, Elbert L. (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region. New York: Knopf. p. 542. ISBN 0-394-50760-6.
  6. ^ "Chinese Tallowtree (Triadica sebifera) Species Details and Allergy Info".
  7. ^ Elliott, Stephen (1824). A Sketch of the Botany of South Carolina and Georgia in Two Volumes (PDF). Charleston SC: JR Schenck. p. 651 Vol. II.
  8. ^ sebum. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
  9. ^ fero. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference esser2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).