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California croton, desert croton

Wiggins' croton

Habit Subshrubs or shrubs, 4–11 dm, dioecious. Shrubs, 2–10 dm, dioecious.
Stems

loosely branched, stellate-lepidote.

densely branched, appressed-lepidote.

Leaves

not clustered;

stipules absent;

petiole 1–3.5(–4.5) cm, usually less than 1/2 blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade elliptic to narrowly oblong, 2–5.5(–7) × 0.8–2(–2.5) cm, usually more than 2 times as long as wide, base obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded, abaxial surface light green, adaxial surface darker green, both stellate-lepidote.

not clustered;

stipules absent;

petiole 1–4 cm, usually less than 1/2 blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade narrowly elliptic to linear-oblong, 2–8.5 × 0.6–1.5 cm, more than 2 times as long as wide, base obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded, abaxial surface pale green, adaxial surface darker green, both densely pale stellate-lepidote.

Inflorescences

unisexual, racemes or thyrses; staminate 0.5–3.5(–10) cm, flowers 3–8(–20); pistillate 0.5–1 cm, flowers 1–6.

unisexual, racemes or thyrses; staminate 1–3.5(–10) cm, flowers 3–8(–15); pistillate 0.5–1 cm, flowers 1–6.

Pedicels

staminate 1–5.5(–7) mm, pistillate to 1 mm (1–3 mm in fruit).

staminate 1–7 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm (4–7 mm in fruit).

Staminate flowers

sepals 5, 1 mm, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote;

petals 0;

stamens 10–15.

sepals 5, 1 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

stamens 10–15.

Pistillate flowers

sepals 5, equal, 2 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 2–2.5 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments usually 12.

sepals 5, equal, 2 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 1.5–2.5 mm, 2–3 times 2-fid, terminal segments 12–24.

Capsules

6–8 × 5–7 mm, smooth;

columella 3-winged.

7–10 × 6–8 mm, smooth;

columella 3-winged.

Seeds

4–5.5 × 3.5–5.5 mm, dull.

6.5–7 × 2–3 mm, dull.

2n

= 28.

= 28.

Croton californicus

Croton wigginsii

Phenology Flowering Feb–Oct. Flowering Feb–May.
Habitat Sandy soils, sage scrub, dunes, washes. Sand dunes.
Elevation 0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.) 10–100 m. (0–300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Sinaloa)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Croton wigginsii is closely related to C. californicus but more robust in its habit and floral features, and is restricted to sand dunes in a limited area of the Sonoran Desert. In the flora area, C. wigginsii is known only from Yuma County, Arizona, and Imperial County, California.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 211. FNA vol. 12, p. 224.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Croton Euphorbiaceae > Croton
Sibling taxa
C. alabamensis, C. argenteus, C. argyranthemus, C. capitatus, C. ciliatoglandulifer, C. cortesianus, C. coryi, C. dioicus, C. elliottii, C. fruticulosus, C. glandulosus, C. heptalon, C. humilis, C. incanus, C. leucophyllus, C. lindheimeri, C. lindheimerianus, C. linearis, C. michauxii, C. monanthogynus, C. parksii, C. pottsii, C. punctatus, C. sancti-lazari, C. setigerus, C. soliman, C. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
C. alabamensis, C. argenteus, C. argyranthemus, C. californicus, C. capitatus, C. ciliatoglandulifer, C. cortesianus, C. coryi, C. dioicus, C. elliottii, C. fruticulosus, C. glandulosus, C. heptalon, C. humilis, C. incanus, C. leucophyllus, C. lindheimeri, C. lindheimerianus, C. linearis, C. michauxii, C. monanthogynus, C. parksii, C. pottsii, C. punctatus, C. sancti-lazari, C. setigerus, C. soliman, C. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis
Synonyms Hendecandra procumbens, C. californicus var. longipes, C. californicus var. mohavensis, C. californicus var. tenuis, C. longipes, C. mohavensis, C. tenuis C. arenicola
Name authority Müller Arg.: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 15(2): 691. (1866) L. C. Wheeler: Contr. Gray Herb. 124: 37. (1939)
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