Croton linearis |
Croton parksii |
|
---|---|---|
grannybush, pineland croton |
Parks' croton |
|
Habit | Shrubs, 10–20 dm, dioecious. | Herbs, annual, 5–15 dm, dioecious. |
Stems | well branched from base, stellate-hairy. |
much-branched distally, stellate-hairy. |
Leaves | not clustered; stipules rudimentary; petiole 0.3–1 cm, 1/10–1/7 leaf blade length, often with 2 sessile or stipitate glands at apex; blade linear to narrowly oblong, 3–7 × 0.3–1.5 cm, mostly more than 4 times as long as wide, base cuneate to obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial surface whitish yellow, densely appressed stellate-hairy, adaxial surface green, glabrous or minutely stellate-puberulent. |
not clustered; stipules rudimentary; petiole 0.5–1.5 cm, glands absent at apex; blade elliptic, 2.5–6 × 1–2 cm, base rounded, margins entire, apex short-rounded, abaxial surface grayish green, densely stellate-tomentose, adaxial surface olive green, stellate-tomentose. |
Inflorescences | unisexual, racemes; staminate 4–10 cm, flowers 10–30; pistillate 3–5 cm, flowers 5–12. |
unisexual; staminate subspicate to racemose or paniculate, 3–6 cm, flowers 3–20; pistillate capitate, 0.1–0.7 cm, flowers 1–3. |
Pedicels | staminate 1–2 mm, pistillate 2–3 mm. |
staminate 0.5–2 mm, pistillate 0.5–1.5 mm (1–3.5 mm in fruit). |
Staminate flowers | sepals 5(–6), 2–2.5 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 5–6, spatulate, obtuse, 1.5–2.5 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate; stamens 12–17. |
sepals (5–)6, 3 mm, abaxial surface lanose, margins ciliate; petals 0; stamens 10–15. |
Pistillate flowers | sepals 5, equal, 2.5–3.5 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface canescent; petals rudimentary or 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 2–3 mm, 2-fid, terminal segments 6. |
sepals 5, equal, 2 mm, margins entire, apex incurved and ± hooded, abaxial surface densely stellate-hairy; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 2 mm, irregularly 2–3 times 2-fid, terminal segments 24, forming matted cluster. |
Capsules | 5–7 × 4–5 mm, smooth; columella with 3 rounded, inflated lobes. |
8–9 × 9–10 mm, verrucose; columella 3-winged. |
Seeds | 3–4 × 1.5–2 mm, dull. |
6–7 mm diam., shiny. |
Croton linearis |
Croton parksii |
|
Phenology | Flowering year-round. | Flowering Jun–Dec. |
Habitat | Rocky limestone pinelands, coastal areas. | Deep sandy soils. |
Elevation | 0–30 m. (0–100 ft.) | 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.) |
Distribution |
FL; West Indies
|
TX |
Discussion | Croton linearis in the flora area is found only in Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe (Keys only), Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties. There has been some confusion in the past with the application of the name C. cascarilla (Linnaeus) Linnaeus to this taxon, but C. cascarilla is now considered to be a synonym of the West Indian C. eluteria (Linnaeus) W. Wright (B. W. van Ee and P. E. Berry 2010b). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Croton parksii, found on the southern Gulf Coastal Plain, is closely related to C. texensis, with which it shares capsules with conspicuous scurfy bumps covered by stellate hairs. Although they appear to intergrade where their ranges overlap around Wilson County, they can generally be distinguished by C. parksii being more robust, with larger capsules and seeds, and more densely tomentose leaves. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 219. | FNA vol. 12, p. 221. |
Parent taxa | Euphorbiaceae > Croton | Euphorbiaceae > Croton |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. fergusonii | |
Name authority | Jacquin: Enum. Syst. Pl., 32. (1760) — (as lineare) | Croizat: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 69: 445, 457. (1942) |
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