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one-seed croton, prairie tea

scented croton

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

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

dichotomously much branched proximally, coarsely stellate-tomentose.

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.

often clustered near inflorescences;

stipules each 5–10 glandular papillae, 0.2–0.5 mm;

petiole 0.5–1.5 cm, 1/4 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade obovate or ovate to broadly elliptic, 2–5.4 × 1–3.6 cm, base obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial surface pale green to cream, adaxial surface darker green, both densely stellate-hairy.

Inflorescences

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

bisexual or staminate, racemes, 1–3 cm, staminate flowers 6–10, pistillate flowers 1–3.

Pedicels

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

staminate 3–5 mm, pistillate 1–2 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, 2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 5, spatulate or obovate, 0.4–0.6 mm, abaxial surface densely villous at base and along margins, otherwise glabrous;

stamens 12–16.

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, 2.5 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals glandular papillae;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 4–6 mm, 2-fid to base, 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.

7–10 × 6–8 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

Seeds

2.5–3.3 × 2–2.5 mm, shiny.

5.5–7 × 4–5 mm, shiny.

2n

= 20.

Croton monanthogynus

Croton suaveolens

Phenology Flowering May–Nov. Flowering Apr–Nov.
Habitat Prairies, sandstone and limestone glades, thinly wooded bluffs, fallow fields, other disturbed habitats. Rocky slopes, foothills.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.) 1500–2000 m. (4900–6600 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
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo León)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Croton monanthogynus may be adventive in the northernmost states.

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

Croton suaveolens is found in the flora area only in trans-Pecos Texas.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 220. FNA vol. 12, p. 224.
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. sonorae, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
Synonyms Engelmannia nuttalliana, Gynamblosis monanthogyna, Heptallon ellipticum, Oxydectes monanthogyna
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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