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one-seed croton, prairie tea

Sonora croton, Sonoran croton

Habit Herbs, annual, 2–5 dm, monoecious. Shrubs, 8–16 dm, monoecious.
Stems

dichotomously branched from near base, stellate-hairy, some stellate hairs with dark brown centers.

much-branched distally, canescent when young, becoming glabrate.

Leaves

sometimes clustered near inflorescences;

stipules glandlike, 0.1–0.3 mm;

petiole 0.3–1.5 cm, glands absent at apex;

blade ovate-oblong to nearly round (proximal) to narrowly elliptic (distal), 1–3.5 × 0.5–3 cm, base obtuse to rounded or truncate, margins entire, apex rounded to acute, abaxial surface pale green, sparsely whitish stellate-hairy and appearing brown-dotted, some hairs with dark brown centers, adaxial surface darker green, densely stellate-hairy, hairs without brown centers.

sometimes clustered near inflorescences;

stipules subulate, to 1 mm;

petiole 0.4–1 cm, 1/4–1/2 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade ovate to broadly lanceolate, 0.8–4 × 0.6–2 cm, base cuneate to rounded or cordate, margins entire, not undulate, ciliate-glandular, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface pale green, sparsely whitish stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, glabrate.

Inflorescences

bisexual or sometimes pistillate, congested racemes, 0.3–1 cm, staminate flowers 3–10, pistillate flowers 1–2(–5).

bisexual or staminate, racemes, 2–14 cm, staminate flowers 10–25, pistillate flowers 3–5(–8).

Pedicels

staminate 0.5–2 mm, pistillate 1–2.5 mm (2–3 mm and recurved in fruit).

staminate 1–1.5 mm, pistillate 1–4 mm.

Staminate flowers

sepals 3–5, 0.7–1 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 3–5, narrowly elliptic-oblanceolate, 0.7–1 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins villous;

stamens 3–5.

sepals 5, 1–1.5 mm, abaxial surface sparsely stellate-hairy;

petals 5, lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins villous;

stamens 13–16.

Pistillate flowers

sepals 5, subequal, 1.5–2 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy, some hairs with dark brown centers;

petals 0;

ovary 2-locular, 1 fertile;

styles 2, 0.8–1.2(–1.5) mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 4.

sepals 5, equal, 1.5–2 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface sparsely stellate-hairy;

petals papillae, 0.5 mm;

ovary 3-locular;

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

Capsules

appearing follicular (1-seeded), 3.5–4.5 × 1.8–2.2 mm, smooth;

columella ± curved, apparently deciduous upon dehiscence of capsule.

7–8 × 5–6 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

Seeds

2.5–3.3 × 2–2.5 mm, shiny.

6–7 × 3–4 mm, shiny.

2n

= 20.

Croton monanthogynus

Croton sonorae

Phenology Flowering May–Nov. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Prairies, sandstone and limestone glades, thinly wooded bluffs, fallow fields, other disturbed habitats. Rocky slopes, desert scrub.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.) 500–1100 m. (1600–3600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; NE; NM; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Croton monanthogynus may be adventive in the northernmost states.

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

Croton sonorae is widely distributed in Mexico and extends into southern Arizona in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 220. 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. fruticulosus, C. glandulosus, C. heptalon, C. humilis, C. incanus, C. leucophyllus, C. lindheimeri, C. lindheimerianus, C. linearis, C. michauxii, 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. soliman, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
Synonyms Engelmannia nuttalliana, Gynamblosis monanthogyna, Heptallon ellipticum, Oxydectes monanthogyna C. attenuatus, C. pringlei
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 215. (1803) — (as monanthogynum) Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859)
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