Croton argenteus
Croton humilis
silver July croton
low croton, pepperbush, salvia
branching once into 2–3 branches, tomentose.
much branched, stellate-hairy, viscid.
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.
not clustered;
stipules 2–5 stipitate glands, to 0.5 mm;
petiole 0.7–3(–5) cm, 3/8–5/8 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;
blade ovate to oblong, 1.5–8 × 1–2(–5) cm, base rounded to subcordate, margins entire to minutely glandular-denticulate, apex abruptly acute to acuminate, both surfaces pale green, abaxial densely stellate-hairy, adaxial tomentose, glabrescent.
bisexual, congested racemes, 1–4 cm, staminate flowers 4–10, pistillate flowers 3–6.
bisexual or unisexual, racemes, 3–7 cm, staminate flowers 20–35, pistillate flowers 2–6.
staminate 2–3 mm, pistillate 1–4 mm (3–5 mm in fruit).
staminate 3–4 mm, pistillate 1–2(–3) mm.
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, 3–4 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;
petals 5, spatulate, 3–4 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate basally;
stamens 15–35.
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.
sepals 5, equal, 4 mm, margins entire, sessile- or shortly stipitate-glandular, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;
petals 0 or 5, white, subulate, 1 mm;
ovary 3-locular;
styles 3, 3–5 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12.
5 × 7 mm, smooth;
columella 3-angled.
4–5 × 4 mm, smooth;
columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.
3.2–3.8 × 2.4–3 mm, dull.
3–4 × 2.5–3 mm, shiny.
= 20.
Croton argenteus
Croton humilis
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.)
Croton humilis is a mainly West Indian species extending from southernmost Florida (Collier and Monroe counties) to the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, and up the Caribbean coast of Mexico to southernmost Texas (Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Willacy, and Zapata counties). Texas plants have more stamens (30–35) than Florida plants (15–20).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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