Croton howii Merr. & Chun ex Y. T. Chang

Shrubs 1-4 m tall; indumentum sparse, of spreading stellate hairs; branches glabrous. Petiole 2-10 mm, glabrescent; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate, or elliptic to obovate-elliptic, 3-7 × 1-2.5 cm, papery, usually olivaceous-green when young and dry, glabrous, base broadly cuneate, base of midrib usually with stalked glands, sometimes glands obscure, margin entire, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescence terminal, 1-3 cm; bracts ovate-lanceolate. Male flowers: sepals ovate-oblong, ca. 2 mm, only woolly at apex; petals lanceolate, 2-2.5 mm, margins woolly; stamens 8-10; filaments woolly at base. Female flowers: sepals oblong-elliptic, ca. 2 mm, sparsely stellate-hairy or glabrescent; ovary stellate-hairy; styles bifid at apex. Capsules subglobose, ca. 8 mm in diam. Seeds ca. 6 mm, with brownish spot-stripes. Fl. and fr. almost throughout year.

Hainan.

● Dense forests or shrublands; 500-700 m.