Croton alabamensis
Croton cortesianus
Alabama croton
Cortez's croton, palillo
usually well branched distally, lepidote.
di- or trichotomously branched, stellate-hairy, young stems often blackened by fungus.
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.
not clustered;
stipules rudimentary;
petiole 1–1.5 cm, 1/6–1/3 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;
blade narrowly obovate, oblong, elliptic, or lanceolate, 3–10 × 1–5 cm, mostly less than 3.5 times as long as wide, base subacute to rounded, margins minutely denticulate, apex acute or acuminate, abaxial surface light green, densely ochraceous stellate-hispid when young, pale stellate-hairy when mature, adaxial surface darker green, glabrous.
bisexual or unisexual, racemes, 2–4.5 cm, staminate flowers 0–15, pistillate flowers 0–10.
unisexual, racemes;
staminate 7–20 cm, flowers 10–30;
pistillate 1–5 cm, flowers 8–20(–30).
staminate 2.2–4 mm, pistillate 2.2–7.5 mm (7–11 mm in fruit).
staminate 0–1 mm, pistillate 0–0.5 mm.
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, 2.5 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;
petals 5, oblong, 3 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate basally;
stamens 12–16.
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, equal, 1–1.5 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hispid;
petals rudimentary;
ovary 3-locular;
styles 3, 4–5 mm, 2-fid, terminal segments 6.
1.6–2.5 × 2–3 mm, smooth;
columella 3-angled.
5–6 × 4.5–5.5 mm, smooth;
columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.
6.7–8 × 5.2–6 mm, shiny.
4–5 × 3–3.5 mm, shiny (with silvery sheen).
= 20.
Croton alabamensis
Croton cortesianus
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 cortesianus is known in the flora area only from Cameron, Hidalgo, and Starr counties.
(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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