Flora of North America species comparison

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Croton sancti-lazari

Croton ciliatoglandulifer

trans-Pecos croton

bush croton, Mexican croton
Habit Shrubs, 1–4 dm, dioecious. Shrubs, 2–10 dm, monoecious.
Stems

much branched proximally, coarsely stellate-tomentose.

± dichotomously branched, stellate-hairy.
Leaves

not clustered;

stipules each 1 glandular papilla, 0.1 mm;

petiole 0.1–0.4(–0.6) cm, 1/10–1/5 blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade ovate to elliptic-ovate, 1–3(–4.5) × 0.5–1.5(–2) cm, base usually rounded to obtuse, rarely acute, margins entire, apex acute or rounded, abaxial surface pale green to pale yellow, stellate-tomentose, adaxial surface darker green, stellate-tomentose.

not clustered;

stipules glandular-ciliate, 2–3 mm;

petiole 1–3.5 cm, 1/2–7/10+ leaf blade length, stipitate-glandular at apex;

blade ovate, 2–5 × 1–3 cm, base rounded to subcordate, margins entire glandular-ciliate, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface pale green, densely stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, sparsely stellate-hairy.
Inflorescences

unisexual;

staminate racemes, 1–3.3 cm, flowers 1–8;

pistillate congested racemes, 0.1–0.3 cm, flowers 1–3.

bisexual, racemes, 1–2.5 cm, staminate flowers 3–10, pistillate flowers 1–8.
Pedicels

staminate 1 mm, pistillate 0–0.5 mm.

staminate 0.5–1.5 mm, pistillate 2–3 mm.
Staminate flowers

sepals (4–)5, 2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals (4–)5, narrowly oblanceolate, 1.8–2 mm, abaxial surface nearly glabrous;

stamens 9–12.

sepals 5, 3.5–4 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 5, spatulate, 2.5–3 mm, abaxial surface glabrous;

stamens 20–30.
Pistillate flowers

sepals 5, equal, 1 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 0 or rudimentary;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 1.5–2 mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 6.

sepals 5, equal, 3–5 mm, margins entire, glandular-ciliate, apex straight, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 4–5 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12.
Capsules

4–5 × 5.5–6 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

4–5 × 5–7 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.
Seeds

3.6–4.7 × 2.8–3.4 mm, shiny.

4–5.5 × 2.5–3 mm, shiny.
2n

= 20.

Croton sancti-lazari

Croton ciliatoglandulifer
Phenology Flowering Oct–Nov. Flowering Oct–Dec.
Habitat Rocky hillsides. Rocky forested slopes, sandy flats.
Elevation 900–1200 m. (3000–3900 ft.) 0–2200 m. (0–7200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; TX; Mexico; West Indies
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Croton sancti-lazari in the flora area grows only in Brewster and Presidio counties.

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

Croton ciliatoglandulifer is characterized by the glandular projections on the leaf blade margins, stipules, and pistillate sepals. The species is closely related to C. humilis and C. soliman, which may intergrade with it. Croton ciliatoglandulifer presents an interesting disjunction in the United States from lowland southern Texas (0–150 m elevation) to upland southern Arizona (to 2200 m elevation).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 222. FNA vol. 12, p. 213.
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. monanthogynus, C. parksii, C. pottsii, C. punctatus, C. setigerus, C. soliman, C. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
C. alabamensis, C. argenteus, C. argyranthemus, C. californicus, C. capitatus, 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. abruptus
Name authority Croizat: J. Arnold Arbor. 26: 185. (1945) Ortega: Nov. Pl. Descr. Dec., 51. (1797) — (as cilato-glanduliferum)
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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