Croton elliottii |
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Elliott's croton, pondshore croton |
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Habit | Herbs, annual, 3–8 dm, monoecious. |
Stems | usually single from base, then well branched from first reproductive node, appressed stellate-hairy. |
Leaves | sometimes clustered near inflorescences; stipules absent; petiole 0.5–2 cm, glands absent at apex; blade lanceolate to oblong, 2–5.5 × 0.2–0.8 cm, base rounded, margins entire, apex subacute, abaxial surface pale green, not appearing brown-dotted, no stellate hairs with brown centers, densely long stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, less densely short stellate-hairy. |
Inflorescences | bisexual, congested racemes, 0.8–1.5 cm, staminate flowers 5–15, pistillate flowers 3–6. |
Pedicels | staminate 0.4–0.9 mm, pistillate 0–0.8 mm. |
Staminate flowers | sepals 5, 0.8–1 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 5, linear-oblong to lanceolate, 0.8–1 mm, abaxial surface glabrous; stamens 7–10. |
Pistillate flowers | sepals 6–7, equal, 5–6 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 2–3 mm, 2 times 2-fid, terminal segments 12. |
Capsules | 4–5 mm diam., smooth; columella slightly 3-winged distally. |
Seeds | 4–4.5 × 3–4 mm, shiny. |
Croton elliottii |
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Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. |
Habitat | Depression ponds, depression meadows, clay-based Carolina bays, usually on exposed pond edges or bottoms. |
Elevation | 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; GA; SC |
Discussion | Croton elliottii is most closely related to C. capitatus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 214. |
Parent taxa | |
Sibling taxa | |
Name authority | Chapman: Fl. South. U.S., 407. (1860) |
Web links |