Croton soliman |
Croton argenteus |
|
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Soliman's croton |
silver July croton |
|
Habit | Shrubs, 5–8 dm, monoecious. | Herbs, annual, 2–12 dm, monoecious. |
Stems | sparsely branched distally, sparsely stellate-hairy. |
branching once into 2–3 branches, tomentose. |
Leaves | not clustered; stipules linear, (0–)1–2 mm, sometimes short stipitate-glandular; petiole 1–2 cm, 2/5–1/2 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex; blade ovate, 2–5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, base rounded-cuneate, margins entire, with scattered glandular-capitate processes 1 mm, usually denser at base, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface green, glabrous or sparsely stellate-hairy, usually along margin, adaxial surface slightly darker green, glabrous. |
sometimes clustered near inflorescences; stipules linear-subulate, 4–11 mm, unlobed or deeply divided; petiole 0.3–8 cm, glands absent at apex; blade ovate to ovate-oblong, 2–15 × 1.5–8 cm, base obtuse, cuneate, or subtruncate, margins denticulate, apex obtuse to rounded, abaxial surface pale green, not appearing brown-dotted, no stellate hairs with brown centers, densely stellate-hairy, adaxial surface green, less densely stellate-hairy. |
Inflorescences | bisexual, racemes, 2–4 cm, staminate flowers 10–30, pistillate flowers 3–6. |
bisexual, congested racemes, 1–4 cm, staminate flowers 4–10, pistillate flowers 3–6. |
Pedicels | staminate 1–5 mm, pistillate 2–5 mm. |
staminate 2–3 mm, pistillate 1–4 mm (3–5 mm in fruit). |
Staminate flowers | sepals 5, 0.8–1 mm, abaxial surface sparsely stellate-hairy; petals 5, spatulate, 1–1.3 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate basally; stamens 15–20. |
sepals 5, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 5, oblong, 2–3 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins ciliate; stamens 10–13. |
Pistillate flowers | sepals 5, unequal, 5–6 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface glabrous or with a few stellate hairs; petals 0 or 5, white, linear, 2.5–3.5 mm; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 3–4 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12. |
sepals 5, unequal, 4–8 mm, margins deeply laciniate, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 2–3 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12. |
Capsules | 6 × 5–6 mm, smooth; columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes. |
5 × 7 mm, smooth; columella 3-angled. |
Seeds | 4–5 × 3–4 mm, shiny. |
3.2–3.8 × 2.4–3 mm, dull. |
Croton soliman |
Croton argenteus |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jul. | Flowering Jun–Dec. |
Habitat | Thickets, low ridges. | Disturbed sites, waste areas, levees. |
Elevation | 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.) | 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.) |
Distribution |
TX; e Mexico; s Mexico |
TX; e Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Croton soliman is most similar to C. humilis. In the flora area, C. soliman is found only in Cameron County. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Croton argenteus, which in the flora area is known only from Cameron and Hidalgo counties, may be a fairly recent introduction into the United States; the earliest known collections date from 1923. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 223. | FNA vol. 12, p. 211. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | family euphorbiaceae Julocroton argenteus | |
Name authority | Chamisso & Schlechtendal: Linnaea 6: 361. (1831) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 1004. (1753) — (as argenteum) |
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