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bush croton, encinilla, hierba loca, shrubby croton

Soliman's croton

Habit Shrubs, 2–10 dm, monoecious. Shrubs, 5–8 dm, monoecious.
Stems

much branched distally, stellate-hairy.

sparsely branched distally, sparsely stellate-hairy.

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.

not clustered;

stipules linear, (0–)1–2 mm, sometimes short stipitate-glandular;

petiole 1–2 cm, 2/5–1/2 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade ovate, 2–5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, base rounded-cuneate, margins entire, with scattered glandular-capitate processes 1 mm, usually denser at base, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface green, glabrous or sparsely stellate-hairy, usually along margin, adaxial surface slightly darker green, glabrous.

Inflorescences

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

bisexual, racemes, 2–4 cm, staminate flowers 10–30, pistillate flowers 3–6.

Pedicels

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

staminate 1–5 mm, pistillate 2–5 mm.

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, 0.8–1 mm, abaxial surface sparsely stellate-hairy;

petals 5, spatulate, 1–1.3 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate basally;

stamens 15–20.

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 5, unequal, 5–6 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface glabrous or with a few stellate hairs;

petals 0 or 5, white, linear, 2.5–3.5 mm;

ovary 3-locular;

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

Capsules

5–6 mm diam., smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

6 × 5–6 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

Seeds

4–5 × 3.2–3.8 mm, shiny.

4–5 × 3–4 mm, shiny.

Croton fruticulosus

Croton soliman

Phenology Flowering May–Dec. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Limestone or basalt hills. Thickets, low ridges.
Elevation 100–1700 m. (300–5600 ft.) 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; e Mexico; s Mexico
[BONAP county 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 soliman is most similar to C. humilis. In the flora area, C. soliman is found only in Cameron County.

(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. setigerus, C. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
Name authority Engelmann ex Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859) — (as fruticulosum) Chamisso & Schlechtendal: Linnaea 6: 361. (1831)
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