None known

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Antibacterial  Febrifuge  Malaria  Skin  Stomachic  Vermifuge

A maceration or decoction of the bark is taken as a vermifuge, and is also used to treat whooping cough, pneumonia, stomach-ache, fevers including malaria, and abdominal complaints associated with gall bladder and spleen problems[ 299 ]. Sap from leaves and young twigs are applied to wounds[ 299 ]. The oil has purgative activity and also showed Epstein-Barr virus activating potency[ 299 , 392 ]. Bark extracts showed weak antibacterial activity in in-vitro tests[ 299 ]. From the bark the clerodane diterpene chiromodine has been isolated as a major constituent, together with lupeol, betulin, beta sitosterol and long-chain fatty esters[ 299 ].

Biomass  Charcoal  Compost  Dye  Fertilizer  Fuel  Furniture  Hedge  Mulch  Pioneer  Shelterbelt  Soil conditioner  Wood

Agroforestry Uses: A natural pioneer species, it is fast-growing and also has a wide range of uses. It is a very good choice in plantings to re-establish native woodland or to set up woodland gardens[ 299 , K ]. The tree is not grazed by livestock and so is often planted in hedges, live fences, shelterbelts and windbreaks[ 299 , 392 ]. It is often retained when the forest is cleared and is used as a shade tree for coffee plantations[ 299 , 316 ]. Croton megalocarpus trees develop a deep taproot. This makes them quite drought tolerant and allows food crops to be grown underneath[ 299 ]. The foliage provides good mulch[ 299 ]. The croton husks are milled for fertilizer. Croton nuts have relatively high nitrogen content compared to typical composts and manures. The fruit shells are used as mulch in vegetable gardens and as a component of potting mixtures[ 299 ]. Animal feeds: Croton seed cake is used in animal feeds. Based on laboratory testing, protein accounts for 25-30% of the croton seed cake compared to comparable seed cakes like canola (18%) and sunflower (20%). The flowers provide nectar for honey bees; the honey produced is dark and has a strong flavour[ 299 ]. Other Uses: Seed oil is tested as bio-fuel[ 299 ]. Seeds have an oil content of about 30% and a protein content of about 50%[ 299 ]. Oil extraction from the seed is done by hand-operated or mechanized screw presses. The oil may be refined in a continuous transesterification reactor to produce bio-fuel of diesel oil quality, with glycerol as a valuable by-product[ 299 ]. The press-cake remaining after oil extraction can be utilized as bio-fuel and as an organic fertilizer[ 299 ]. The seeds can be used to dye wool yellowish[ 299 ]. The heartwood is yellowish-white to brownish grey, often with irregular dark brown streaks; it is not distinctly demarcated from the 25 - 50mm wide band of sapwood. The grain is usually straight, texture medium; when freshly sawn it has an unpleasant smell. The wood is medium-weight; hard, strong, moderately durable, being slightly susceptible to termite, dry-wood borer and marine borer attack and liable to attacks by blue stain fungi. It is easy to saw and work with hand tools, but moderately difficult to machine; it usually planes to a smooth and lustrous surface; is resistant to abrasion; nailing, screwing, gluing, varnishing, painting and jointing properties are all satisfactory. The wood is only suitable for sliced veneer. The wood, most commonly known as 'musine', is used for construction, flooring, stools, mortars, beehives, veneer and plywood. It is suitable for joinery, interior trim, shipbuilding, vehicle bodies, furniture, cabinetwork, railway sleepers and agricultural implements[ 299 , 316 ]. The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[ 299 ]. It is highly regarded as firewood but is not recommended for charcoal as the smoke stings the eyes[ 392 ]. The well-dried nuts are reportedly used as a fuel in some areas, mixed with charcoal in cooking stoves[ 303 ].

Special Uses

Food Forest  Hedge