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trans-Pecos croton

salvia, Torrey's croton, vara blanca

Habit Shrubs, 1–4 dm, dioecious. Shrubs, 10–20 dm, monoecious.
Stems

much branched proximally, coarsely stellate-tomentose.

much branched distally, stellate-velutinous.

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.

sometimes clustered near inflorescences;

stipules linear-subulate, 2–3 mm;

petiole 0.7–1.5 cm, (1/4–)3/8–1/2 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade oblong, ovate-oblong, or elliptic-oblong, 1.5–4(–6) × 1.5–3 cm, base rounded to obtuse, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface whitish, densely stellate-tomentose, adaxial surface darker green, stellate-tomentose.

Inflorescences

unisexual;

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

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

bisexual, racemes, 2–5 cm, staminate flowers 10–25, pistillate flowers 2–4.

Pedicels

staminate 1 mm, pistillate 0–0.5 mm.

staminate 1.7–3 mm, pistillate 1–2 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, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface densely tomentose;

petals 5, oblanceolate, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface villous;

stamens 10–16.

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, 1.2–3.5 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface tomentose;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 1.8–3.5 mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 6.

Capsules

4–5 × 5.5–6 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

6–8 × 4–5 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

Seeds

3.6–4.7 × 2.8–3.4 mm, shiny.

4.5–7 × 3–4 mm, dull.

2n

= 20.

Croton sancti-lazari

Croton incanus

Phenology Flowering Oct–Nov. Flowering Mar–Nov.
Habitat Rocky hillsides. Calcareous loams, xeric rocky limestone slopes and canyons.
Elevation 900–1200 m. (3000–3900 ft.) 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; n Mexico; c Mexico
[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 incanus is known in the flora area from the trans-Pecos region to south Texas.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 222. FNA vol. 12, p. 217.
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. ciliatoglandulifer, C. cortesianus, C. coryi, C. dioicus, C. elliottii, C. fruticulosus, C. glandulosus, C. heptalon, C. humilis, 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 C. suaveolens var. oblongifolius, C. torreyanus
Name authority Croizat: J. Arnold Arbor. 26: 185. (1945) Kunth: in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 2(fol.): 58; 2(qto.): 73. (1817)
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