Croton

Croton, or Codiaeum variegatum (L.) Blume is a beautiful shrub that grows in tropical forests (Govaertset al., 2000). Breeders, landscapers, horticulturists, and gardeners have been captivated by the vast range of leaf form and colouration variations, and a large number of cultivars have been fixed for commercial production. In the ornamental horticulture sector, there are over 300 varieties to choose from. Crotons, together with Ficus benjamina, have become one of the most popular ornamental tropical shrubs in Europe and the United States. The leaf shapes of crotons vary greatly. Leaf morphologies range from ovate to linear, whole to highly lobed, and appendiculate in the centre, with a midrib connecting them. Each cultivar is distinguished by its leaf colouration and pattern. Because almost all varieties of leaf morphology can be found in one species, the phenotypic diversity observed in croton leaves is of tremendous interest in plant science; leaf phenotypic plasticity is highly high (Shimoji et al., 2006).