The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

trans-Pecos croton

Sonora croton, Sonoran croton

Habit Shrubs, 1–4 dm, dioecious. Shrubs, 8–16 dm, monoecious.
Stems

much branched proximally, coarsely stellate-tomentose.

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

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 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

unisexual;

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

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

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

Pedicels

staminate 1 mm, pistillate 0–0.5 mm.

staminate 1–1.5 mm, pistillate 1–4 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, 1–1.5 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, 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, 1.5–2 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

4–5 × 5.5–6 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

7–8 × 5–6 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

Seeds

3.6–4.7 × 2.8–3.4 mm, shiny.

6–7 × 3–4 mm, shiny.

Croton sancti-lazari

Croton sonorae

Phenology Flowering Oct–Nov. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Rocky hillsides. Rocky slopes, desert scrub.
Elevation 900–1200 m. (3000–3900 ft.) 500–1100 m. (1600–3600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
[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 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. 222. 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. 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. 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 C. abruptus C. attenuatus, C. pringlei
Name authority Croizat: J. Arnold Arbor. 26: 185. (1945) Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859)
Web links