Hura crepitans


Hura crepitans, the sandbox tree, also known as possumwood and jabillo, is an evergreen tree of the spurge family, native to tropical regions of North and South America including the Amazon rainforest. It is also present in parts of Tanzania, where it is considered an invasive species. It can be recognized by its smooth brown bark covered in many dark, pointed spines which have led to its being nicknamed monkey no-climb.
Sandbox trees can grow to, and its large ovate leaves grow to wide. They are monoecious, with red, un-petaled flowers. Male flowers grow on long spikes, while female flowers grow alone in axils. The sandbox tree's fruiting bodies are large capsules which can explode when ripe, splitting into segments and launching seeds at. One source states that ripe capsules catapult their seeds as far as. Another source states that seeds are thrown as far as from a tree, averaging about. The sandbox tree's explosive fruit has led to an additional nickname: the dynamite tree.
Its fruits are pumpkin-shaped capsules, 1.4–2 inches long, 2–3.2 inches diameter, with 16 carpels arranged radially. Its seeds are flattened and about 0.8 inches diameter.
This tree prefers wet soil, and partial shade or partial to full sun. It is often cultivated for shade.
Fishermen have been said to use the milky, caustic sap from this tree to poison fish. The Caribs made arrow poison from its sap.
The wood is used for furniture under the name "hura". Before more modern forms of pens were invented, the trees' unripe seed capsules were sawn in half to make decorative pen sandboxes, hence the name 'sandbox tree'.

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