Aleurites moluccanus
| Candlenut | |
|---|---|
| Candlenut foliage, flowers, and nut | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Aleurites |
| Species: | A. moluccanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Aleurites moluccanus | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Aleurites javanicus Gand. | |
Aleurites moluccanus, commonly known as candlenut, is a tree in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It grows to about 30 m (98 ft) tall and produces drupe fruit.
First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, the species' origin is unclear due to its spread by humans, but it can be found in many tropical rainforests and gallery forests. Various parts of the plant have regional or cultural uses.