Croton alabamensis
Croton argenteus
Alabama croton
silver July croton
usually well branched distally, lepidote.
branching once into 2–3 branches, tomentose.
clustered at branch tips;
stipules absent;
petiole 0.6–2 cm, glands absent at apex;
blade elliptic, ovate, or oblong, 3–10 × 1.5–5 cm, base rounded to obtuse, margins entire, sometimes ± undulate, apex acute, rounded, or emarginate, abaxial surface silvery or coppery, densely lepidote, adaxial surface green, sparsely lepidote.
sometimes clustered near inflorescences;
stipules linear-subulate, 4–11 mm, unlobed or deeply divided;
petiole 0.3–8 cm, glands absent at apex;
blade ovate to ovate-oblong, 2–15 × 1.5–8 cm, base obtuse, cuneate, or subtruncate, margins denticulate, apex obtuse to rounded, abaxial surface pale green, not appearing brown-dotted, no stellate hairs with brown centers, densely stellate-hairy, adaxial surface green, less densely stellate-hairy.
bisexual or unisexual, racemes, 2–4.5 cm, staminate flowers 0–15, pistillate flowers 0–10.
bisexual, congested racemes, 1–4 cm, staminate flowers 4–10, pistillate flowers 3–6.
staminate 2.2–4 mm, pistillate 2.2–7.5 mm (7–11 mm in fruit).
staminate 2–3 mm, pistillate 1–4 mm (3–5 mm in fruit).
sepals 5, 1.1–2.9 mm, abaxial surface lepidote;
petals 5, oblong-ovate, 2–3.1 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins stellate-ciliate;
stamens 10–22.
sepals 5, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;
petals 5, oblong, 2–3 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate;
stamens 10–13.
sepals 5, equal, 2–4.5 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface lepidote;
petals 5, pale green, ovate, 2–3.5 mm;
ovary 3-locular;
styles 3, 2–5 mm, usually unbranched, rarely 2-fid, terminal segments 3 (or 6).
sepals 5, unequal, 4–8 mm, margins deeply laciniate, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;
petals 0;
ovary 3-locular;
styles 3, 2–3 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12.
1.6–2.5 × 2–3 mm, smooth;
columella 3-angled.
5 × 7 mm, smooth;
columella 3-angled.
6.7–8 × 5.2–6 mm, shiny.
3.2–3.8 × 2.4–3 mm, dull.
Croton alabamensis
Croton argenteus
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
B. W. van Ee et al. (2006) examined populations of Croton alabamensis using DNA sequence and AFLP data, and their results supported the recognition of two varieties and an isolated position in the genus. Buds develop in the summer and fall for the following spring's flowers.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Croton argenteus, which in the flora area is known only from Cameron and Hidalgo counties, may be a fairly recent introduction into the United States; the earliest known collections date from 1923.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaf blade abaxial surfaces silvery, scales mostly unpigmented or light amber, some dark blackish brown scales sometimes present; inflorescences 9–18-flowered, producing 0–11 fruits; Alabama. | var. alabamensis |
1. Leaf blade abaxial surfaces coppery, some scales unpigmented, others with dark reddish brown center and reddish amber rays; inflorescences 6–14-flowered, producing 0–6 fruits; Texas. | var. texensis |
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