Flora of North America species comparison

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Croton incanus

Croton argenteus

salvia, Torrey's croton, vara blanca

silver July croton
Habit Shrubs, 10–20 dm, monoecious. Herbs, annual, 2–12 dm, monoecious.
Stems

much branched distally, stellate-velutinous.

branching once into 2–3 branches, tomentose.
Leaves

sometimes clustered near inflorescences;

stipules linear-subulate, 2–3 mm;

petiole 0.7–1.5 cm, (1/4–)3/8–1/2 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade oblong, ovate-oblong, or elliptic-oblong, 1.5–4(–6) × 1.5–3 cm, base rounded to obtuse, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface whitish, densely stellate-tomentose, adaxial surface darker green, stellate-tomentose.

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.
Inflorescences

bisexual, racemes, 2–5 cm, staminate flowers 10–25, pistillate flowers 2–4.

bisexual, congested racemes, 1–4 cm, staminate flowers 4–10, pistillate flowers 3–6.
Pedicels

staminate 1.7–3 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm.

staminate 2–3 mm, pistillate 1–4 mm (3–5 mm in fruit).
Staminate flowers

sepals 5, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface densely tomentose;

petals 5, oblanceolate, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface villous;

stamens 10–16.

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.
Pistillate flowers

sepals 5, equal, 1.2–3.5 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface tomentose;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 1.8–3.5 mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 6.

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.
Capsules

6–8 × 4–5 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

5 × 7 mm, smooth;

columella 3-angled.
Seeds

4.5–7 × 3–4 mm, dull.

3.2–3.8 × 2.4–3 mm, dull.
2n

= 20.

Croton incanus

Croton argenteus
Phenology Flowering Mar–Nov. Flowering Jun–Dec.
Habitat Calcareous loams, xeric rocky limestone slopes and canyons. Disturbed sites, waste areas, levees.
Elevation 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.) 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; n Mexico; c Mexico
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; e Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Croton incanus is known in the flora area from the trans-Pecos region to south Texas.

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

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.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 217. FNA vol. 12, p. 211.
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. fruticulosus, C. glandulosus, C. heptalon, C. humilis, 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. 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, C. wigginsii
Synonyms C. suaveolens var. oblongifolius, C. torreyanus family euphorbiaceae Julocroton argenteus
Name authority Kunth: in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 2(fol.): 58; 2(qto.): 73. (1817) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 1004. (1753) — (as argenteum)
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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