Bischofia javanica (Euphorbiaceae) bishopwood

"[Bischofia] javanica is an evergreen or semievergreen woody tree with a maximum height of 40 m and diameter of 2.3 m. The relatively short trunk is erect, but branches low. Though coarse at maturity, the bark is nearly smooth, grayish brown to brown, and 1 cm thick, and contains a red milky sap that becomes a resinous semi-solid when dried. Leaves are trifoliate, rarely palmate, with petiole 8-20 cm in length. Each papery leaflet may be ovate, elliptic, subovate, or elliptic-ovate, 7-15 cm long and 4-8 cm wide, acute or caudate-acuminate apically and broadly cuneate to obtuse at base, with two to three denticles per centimeter along the serrated margin. The petiole of the terminal leaflet is 2-5 cm in length, while that of lateral leaflet is 5-20 mm. A stipule is present, also papery, 8 mm long; and it falls off early. Small axillary flowers are borne on dioecious panicles in April to May. The male inflorescence is 8-13 cm long and pubescent to glabrous, while the female inflorescence is 15-17 cm long and pendant. Appearing in August to October, berry-like fruits are light brown, globular or subglobular, 6-13 mm in diameter, containing oblong seeds 5 mm in length." (adapted from  [based on Li Bingtao (Li Pingt'ao). 1994.], accessed 10 May 2008) 

Species description or overview

Taxonomy & nomenclature

ITIS nomenclature info for Bischofia javanica
Nomenclatural information about Bischofia javanica is provided by ITIS.

IPNI nomenclature info for Bischofia javanica
Nomenclatural information about Bischofia javanica is provided by The International Plant Names Index (IPNI).

Impacts

Prevention

Images

Smithsonian Flora of the Hawaiian Islands info for Bischofia javanica
Smithsonian Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and D. H. Lorence. 2005-. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands website. http://ravenel.si.edu/botany/pacificislandbiodiversity/hawaiianflora/index.htm [accessed Apr 2006])

Bischofia javanica images from PIER
Images of Bischofia javanica provided by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER).

Distribution

Cited as invasive (on a list)

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The template for this page was created on 15 March 2004 by EMS, and was last updated on 20 February 2006 by PT. The content of this page was last regenerated on (or after) 28 March 2008 by PT.