Obtuse-leaved Crateva

Scientific Name : Crateva trifoliata (Roxb.) B. S. Sun
Common Name : Obtuse-leaved Crateva
Chinese Name : 鈍葉魚木, 赤果魚木
Family : CAPPARACEAE
Local distribution status : Exotic species

Anecdotes on plants

Origins Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Hainan provinces of China. It also has distribution in the countries between India and Indochina Peninsula.
Meanings of names Described by its name Obtuse-leaved Crateva, the leaflet apices of the species are comparatively obtuse. Meanwhile, the reddish brown colour of its mature fruits has brought the plant another name in Chinese, known as “Red-fruit Crateva (赤果魚木)”. In coastal areas, plants under the genus Crateva were used by fishermen as bait for fishing, by carving their woods in the shapes of small fish, leading them to be named "Fishing Wood (魚木)" in Chinese.
Obtuse-leaved Crateva and Spider Tree (Crateva unilocularis Buch.-Ham.) The two species under the same family and same genus are both common street trees and landscaping trees. Due to the similarities in their appearance and growing habits, they are easily mixed up by people. Their identities can be made clear by observing the following traits. The apices of the leaflets of the Obtuse-leaved Crateva are rounded acute or bluntly acute, while those of the Spider Tree are acute or acuminate. The fruit of the Obtuse-leaved Crateva has a smooth surface and turns reddish brown upon maturity, which can be juxtaposed against the fruit of Spider Tree, which has a rough surface and turns greyish brown upon maturity.

Traits for identification

Growing habit Deciduous tree.
Height To 10 m.
Stems Bark of trunk and branches greyish brown. Branches longitudinally wrinkled with conspicuous leaf scars. Twigs reddish brown when dry, densely white lenticellate.
Leaves Palmately ternate. Leaflets elliptic to obovate, papery when young, subleathery when mature. Apex of leaflets rounded acute or bluntly acute. Base of 2 lateral leaflets asymmetrical. Lateral vein 5 to 7 pairs, slender. Deciduous or emerging young leaves near flowering season.
Flowers Inflorescence axillary or terminal, with 10 to 20 flowers each. Petals 4, white, turning pale yellow later, ovate to oblong, clawed (narrowed base of petal). Stamens many, purplish red, exserted from corolla.
Fruits Berry globose, surface smooth, reddish brown when mature, often with a node on the fruit stalk.
Seeds Reniform, blackish brown.
Flowering period March to May in Hong Kong.
Fruiting period August to November in Hong Kong.
Overview of <em>Crateva trifoliata</em> (Roxb.) B. S. Sun.
Trunk of <em>Crateva trifoliata</em> (Roxb.) B. S. Sun.
Bark of trunk greyish brown.
Palmately ternate. This leaflets obovate, apex of leaflets shortly acuminate.
This leaflets elliptic, apex of leaflets bluntly acute.
Petals 4, white, turning pale yellow later, ovate to oblong.
Stamens many, purplish red, exserted from corolla.
Inflorescence axillary or terminal, with 10 to 20 flowers each. The stamens of this individuals white.
Petals clawed (narrowed base of petal). The stamens of this individuals white.
Berry globose, surface smooth, often with a node on the fruit stalk.
Berry reddish brown when mature.
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Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website : https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=9723

Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Crateva trifoliata (Roxburgh) B. S. Sun
― Plants of the World Online : Crateva falcata (Lour.) DC.

Reference