Leucocroton havanensis

Leucocroton havanensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Euphorbiaceae
Genus:	Leucocroton
Species:	L. havanensis
Binomial name
Leucocroton havanensis Borhidi

Leucocroton havanensis is an endemic species to Cuba. It is located on serpentine soils and limestone rock in the western and central part of the country and also found in Hispaniola. It is an evergreen tree that has dioecious flowering, meaning the species has distinct male and female individuals. The plant only grows on a small serpentine island.

Cultivation and uses

The uses by this plant are purely for studying and discovering because it is a newly discovered species and lots of research has to be done to find its uses. However, scientists have discovered that the Leucocroton genus is a Nickel hyperaccumulator, which means it can absorb dangerous amounts of Nickel.^{[1] [2]}

References

1. Reeves, R.D.; Baker, A.J.M; Borhidi, A.; Berazain, R. (15 December 1995). "Nickel-accumulating plants from the ancient serpentine soils of Cuba". New Phytologist. New Phytologist Trust. 133 (2): 217–224. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1996.tb01888.x. line feed character in |title= at position 36 (help)
2. Jestrow, Brett (12 November 2010). Phylogenetics, Conservation, and Historical Biogeography of the West Indian Members of the Adelieae (Euphorbiaceae) (Ph.D. thesis). Florida International University. Retrieved 6 February 2015.