croton

(krōt'n)

noun

  1. any of a large, mostly tropical genus (Croton) of shrubs, trees, and herbs of the spurge family: certain species yield croton oil and cascarilla, formerly used in medicine, and others are poisonous range weeds in the SW U.S.
  2. any of a genus (Codiaeum) of shrubs of the spurge family, grown for their ornamental, leathery leaves

Origin: ModL < Gr krotōn, a tick, castor-oil plant or (in pl.) its ticklike seeds

See croton in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. Any of various plants of the genus Croton, which includes the sources of cascarilla bark and croton oil.
  2. An Old World tropical evergreen shrub (Codiaeum variegatum) widely cultivated as a houseplant for its glossy multicolored foliage.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin Croton, genus name

Origin: , from Greek krotōn, castor oil plant

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