ALEURITES (Gr. 6,XEvp6Tns, pertaining to aXEVpov, ground meal, from 6XEiv, to grind), a genus of trees belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Aleurites triloba is widely cultivated throughout the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world for its fruit, which is about the size of a walnut, and contains several seeds which are rich in oil. The oil is extracted and used for food and light ; it is known in India as kekuna, and the tree as the candle nut. In the Sandwich islands the nuts are strung upon strips of wood and used as torches. The oil is exported to Europe for candle making. A. cordata flourishes in China, where it is known as the varnish-tree.