Croton alabamensis
Croton heptalon
Alabama croton
woolly croton
usually well branched distally, lepidote.
well branched distally, stellate-hairy.
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 linear, 2–7 mm;
petiole 0.5–5 cm, glands absent at apex;
blade ovate-lanceolate, 3–10 × 1–5 cm, base cordate to rounded, margins entire, apex acute, abaxial surface pale green, not appearing brown-dotted, no stellate hairs with brown centers, adaxial surface darker green, both stellate-hairy.
bisexual or unisexual, racemes, 2–4.5 cm, staminate flowers 0–15, pistillate flowers 0–10.
bisexual, racemes, 2–4 cm, staminate flowers 3–10, pistillate flowers 4–8.
staminate 2.2–4 mm, pistillate 2.2–7.5 mm (7–11 mm in fruit).
staminate 2–4 mm, pistillate 1–2 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 (4–)5, 1–2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;
petals 5, linear-oblong-lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;
stamens 9–12.
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 7–8, subequal, 3–6 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface whitish appressed-tomentose;
petals 0;
ovary 3-locular;
styles 3, 3–4 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12.
1.6–2.5 × 2–3 mm, smooth;
columella 3-angled.
6–8 × 6–7 mm, smooth;
columella tipped with 3-pronged grappling hooklike appendage.
6.7–8 × 5.2–6 mm, shiny.
4–5 × 2–2.5 mm, shiny.
Croton alabamensis
Croton heptalon
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.)
Morphological differences among Croton heptalon and its multifid-styled relatives in sect. Heptallon, especially C. capitatus and C. lindheimeri, can be quite subtle. In general, C. heptalon can be distinguished from C. capitatus by its more elongate pistillate part of the inflorescence, non-recurving sepal tips in the pistillate flowers, and more cordate leaf bases on larger basal leaves. Whitish pubescence on its young growth and styles that branch once into four terminal segments distinguish C. heptalon from C. lindheimeri.
Croton muelleri J. M. Coulter, which is an illegitimate name, pertains here.
(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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