Flora of North America species comparison

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Croton fruticulosus

Croton setigerus

bush croton, encinilla, hierba loca, shrubby croton

dove weed, fish poison, turkey mullein
Habit Shrubs, 2–10 dm, monoecious. Herbs, annual, 0.5–5 dm, monoecious.
Stems

much branched distally, stellate-hairy.

densely and dichotomously shortly branched, forming loose, prostrate circular mats 5–80 cm across, proximally bristly stellate-hairy, central radii spreading, 2–3 mm.
Leaves

not clustered;

stipules rudimentary or absent;

petiole 0.4–1(–1.5) cm, 1/8–1/5 blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2–8 × 2–4 cm, base truncate to cordate, margins serrulate, often slightly undulate, apex attenuate, acute, abaxial surface pale green, stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, puberulent.

mostly clustered near inflorescences;

stipules rudimentary;

petiole 0.3–5 cm, glands absent at apex;

blade ovate to rhombic, 0.8–6.5 × 0.8–4 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex obtuse, abaxial surface pale grayish green, adaxial surface grayish green, both densely stellate-hairy.
Inflorescences

bisexual, racemes, 3–12 cm, staminate flowers 10–20, pistillate flowers 2–5.

unisexual;

staminate dense capitate clusters, 1–2 cm, flowers 2–10;

pistillate clusters, 1–2 cm, flowers 1–3.
Pedicels

staminate 2.5–4 mm, pistillate 0–0.5 mm.

staminate 0–1 mm, pistillate absent.
Staminate flowers

sepals 5, 0.8–1.2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-tomentose;

petals 5, oblanceolate to spatulate, 2 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins densely fimbrillate-villous;

stamens 9–16.

sepals 5–6, 2–2.5 mm, abaxial surface densely stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

stamens 5–9.
Pistillate flowers

sepals 5, equal, 2.2 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 3–4.5 mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 6.

sepals 0;

petals 0;

ovary 1-locular;

style 1, 2–3 mm, unbranched.
Capsules

5–6 mm diam., smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

follicular (1-seeded), 3–6 × 2–3 mm, smooth;

columella absent.
Seeds

4–5 × 3.2–3.8 mm, shiny.

3–5 × 2–3 mm, shiny.
2n

= 20.

Croton fruticulosus

Croton setigerus
Phenology Flowering May–Dec. Flowering Jun–Oct.
Habitat Limestone or basalt hills. Coastal sage scrub, foothill woodlands, valley grasslands, oak woodlands, edges of fields, dry stream beds, disturbed areas, roadsides.
Elevation 100–1700 m. (300–5600 ft.) 0–1900 m. (0–6200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; NV; OR; UT; WA; Mexico (Baja California) [Introduced s South America (Chile), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Croton fruticulosus is known in the flora area from southeastern Arizona through southern New Mexico and trans-Pecos Texas to the Edwards Plateau.

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

Croton setigerus is nearly unique in the genus with its one-locular fruit, single unbranched style, and pistillate flowers devoid of any perianth. The foliage is toxic to animals, and the crushed plants were used by Native Americans to stupefy fish. The seeds are palatable to birds, giving rise to the common names cited above. Individual plants produce either mottled, striped, or solid gray or black seeds. Gray seeds are produced by desiccating plants and appear to be much less palatable to doves than the other color morphs (A. D. Cook et al. 1971).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 214. FNA vol. 12, p. 223.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Croton Euphorbiaceae > Croton
Sibling taxa
C. alabamensis, C. argenteus, C. argyranthemus, C. californicus, C. capitatus, C. ciliatoglandulifer, C. cortesianus, C. coryi, C. dioicus, C. elliottii, 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. soliman, C. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
Synonyms Eremocarpus setigerus
Name authority Engelmann ex Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859) — (as fruticulosum) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 141. (1838) — (as setigerum)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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