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Michaux's croton, narrow-leaf rushfoil

Michaux's croton, narrowleaf rushfoil, rushfoil

Habit Herbs, annual, 1–9 dm, monoecious.
Stems

usually single from base, much branched from near middle, densely stellate-lepidote appearing silvery.

Leaves

blades lanceolate-linear, 1.8–3.5 × 0.1–0.3 cm, abaxial surface (midstem leaves) hairs with radii separate 1/2+ length, adaxial surface hairs appressed, not overlapping, radii usually 5–8.

not clustered;

stipules rudimentary;

petiole 0.1–0.5 cm, glands absent at apex;

blade lanceolate-linear to ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–4 × 0.1–0.4(–1.5) cm, base acute to cuneate, margins entire, apex acute, abaxial surface silvery, stellate-lepidote, adaxial surface green, sparsely stellate-hairy, hairs with few radii.

Inflorescences

1–3 cm, achenes usually 3–6, ± laxly spaced (not appearing sessile in axil of subtending leaf).

bisexual, spikes, 0.3–3 cm, staminate flowers 1–12, pistillate flowers 1–6.

Pedicels

pistillate absent, staminate 0–1 mm.

Staminate flowers

usually greater than 1 mm diam.

sepals 5, 1 mm, abaxial surface lepidote;

petals 5, spatulate, 0.6–1 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins villous;

stamens 5–7.

Pistillate flowers

sepals (4–)5, equal, 1–1.5 mm, margins entire, apex straight, abaxial surface lepidote;

petals 0;

ovary 1-locular;

styles 3, 0.5–0.8 mm, minutely 2-fid, terminal segments 3 or 6.

Achenes

densely stellate-lepidote, hairs ± spreading, radii separate most of length, umbos usually sharp, sometimes rounded.

2.5–3 × 1–1.2 mm, smooth;

columella absent.

Seeds

2–2.5 × 1 mm, surface not visible because seed coat adherent to fruit wall.

Croton michauxii var. michauxii

Croton michauxii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct.
Habitat Deep sandy soils, forest openings, disturbed soils, coasts, riverine beaches.
Elevation 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IA; IL; LA; MO; MS; SC; TN; TX
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Inflorescences 1–3 cm; achenes usually 3–6, densely stellate-lepidote, hairs ± spreading, radii separate most of length, umbos usually sharp, sometimes rounded; leaf blade adaxial surface hairs not overlapping.
var. michauxii
1. Inflorescences usually less than 1 cm; achenes 1–2, sparsely stellate-lepidote, hairs appressed, radii joined most or all of length, umbos usually blunt, rarely sharp; leaf blade adaxial surface hairs overlapping near midvein.
var. elliptica
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 220. FNA vol. 12, p. 220.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Croton > Croton michauxii Euphorbiaceae > Croton
Sibling taxa
C. michauxii var. elliptica
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. monanthogynus, C. parksii, C. pottsii, C. punctatus, C. sancti-lazari, C. setigerus, C. soliman, C. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
Subordinate taxa
C. michauxii var. elliptica, C. michauxii var. michauxii
Synonyms Crotonopsis abnormis, C. spinosa Crotonopsis linearis
Name authority unknown G. L. Webster: Novon 2: 270. (1992)
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