Mallotus (plant)
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- This article is about the plant. For the fish genus, see Capelin.
Mallotus is a genus of the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. 2 species are found in tropical Africa and Madagascar. About 140 species are found in East and Southeast Asia and from Indomalaysia to New Caledonia and Fiji, northern and eastern Australia. Notable members include the Kamala tree (Mallotus philippensis), the hairs of whose seed capsule is the source of a yellow dye (kamala dye) and (formerly) herbal remedy.
Mallotus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus.
Synonyms
This genus is also known as:- Aconceveibum Miq.
- Axenfeldia Baill.
- Coelodiscus Baill.
- Diplochlamys Mull. Arg.
- Echinocroton F. Muell.
- Echinus Lour.
- Hancea Seem.
- Lasipana Raf.
- Plagianthera Rchb.f. & Zoll.
- Rottlera Willd.
- Stylanthus Rchb.f. & Zoll.
Taxonomy note
Coccoceras Miq., precedently thought to be a synonym of Mallotus, has been split to stand alone.
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