Flora of North America species comparison

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Croton setigerus

Croton linearis

dove weed, fish poison, turkey mullein

grannybush, pineland croton
Habit Herbs, annual, 0.5–5 dm, monoecious. Shrubs, 10–20 dm, dioecious.
Stems

densely and dichotomously shortly branched, forming loose, prostrate circular mats 5–80 cm across, proximally bristly stellate-hairy, central radii spreading, 2–3 mm.

well branched from base, stellate-hairy.
Leaves

mostly clustered near inflorescences;

stipules rudimentary;

petiole 0.3–5 cm, glands absent at apex;

blade ovate to rhombic, 0.8–6.5 × 0.8–4 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex obtuse, abaxial surface pale grayish green, adaxial surface grayish green, both densely stellate-hairy.

not clustered;

stipules rudimentary;

petiole 0.3–1 cm, 1/10–1/7 leaf blade length, often with 2 sessile or stipitate glands at apex;

blade linear to narrowly oblong, 3–7 × 0.3–1.5 cm, mostly more than 4 times as long as wide, base cuneate to obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial surface whitish yellow, densely appressed stellate-hairy, adaxial surface green, glabrous or minutely stellate-puberulent.
Inflorescences

unisexual;

staminate dense capitate clusters, 1–2 cm, flowers 2–10;

pistillate clusters, 1–2 cm, flowers 1–3.

unisexual, racemes;

staminate 4–10 cm, flowers 10–30;

pistillate 3–5 cm, flowers 5–12.
Pedicels

staminate 0–1 mm, pistillate absent.

staminate 1–2 mm, pistillate 2–3 mm.
Staminate flowers

sepals 5–6, 2–2.5 mm, abaxial surface densely stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

stamens 5–9.

sepals 5(–6), 2–2.5 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 5–6, spatulate, obtuse, 1.5–2.5 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate;

stamens 12–17.
Pistillate flowers

sepals 0;

petals 0;

ovary 1-locular;

style 1, 2–3 mm, unbranched.

sepals 5, equal, 2.5–3.5 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface canescent;

petals rudimentary or 0;

ovary 3-locular;

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

follicular (1-seeded), 3–6 × 2–3 mm, smooth;

columella absent.

5–7 × 4–5 mm, smooth;

columella with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.
Seeds

3–5 × 2–3 mm, shiny.

3–4 × 1.5–2 mm, dull.
2n

= 20.

Croton setigerus

Croton linearis
Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct. Flowering year-round.
Habitat Coastal sage scrub, foothill woodlands, valley grasslands, oak woodlands, edges of fields, dry stream beds, disturbed areas, roadsides. Rocky limestone pinelands, coastal areas.
Elevation 0–1900 m. (0–6200 ft.) 0–30 m. (0–100 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; NV; OR; UT; WA; Mexico (Baja California) [Introduced s South America (Chile), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
FL; West Indies
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Croton setigerus is nearly unique in the genus with its one-locular fruit, single unbranched style, and pistillate flowers devoid of any perianth. The foliage is toxic to animals, and the crushed plants were used by Native Americans to stupefy fish. The seeds are palatable to birds, giving rise to the common names cited above. Individual plants produce either mottled, striped, or solid gray or black seeds. Gray seeds are produced by desiccating plants and appear to be much less palatable to doves than the other color morphs (A. D. Cook et al. 1971).

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

Croton linearis in the flora area is found only in Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe (Keys only), Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties.

There has been some confusion in the past with the application of the name C. cascarilla (Linnaeus) Linnaeus to this taxon, but C. cascarilla is now considered to be a synonym of the West Indian C. eluteria (Linnaeus) W. Wright (B. W. van Ee and P. E. Berry 2010b).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 223. FNA vol. 12, p. 219.
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. sancti-lazari, 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. 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 Eremocarpus setigerus C. fergusonii
Name authority Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 141. (1838) — (as setigerum) Jacquin: Enum. Syst. Pl., 32. (1760) — (as lineare)
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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