Flora of North America species comparison

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Croton soliman

Croton incanus

Soliman's croton

salvia, Torrey's croton, vara blanca
Habit Shrubs, 5–8 dm, monoecious. Shrubs, 10–20 dm, monoecious.
Stems

sparsely branched distally, sparsely stellate-hairy.

much branched distally, stellate-velutinous.
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, 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

bisexual, racemes, 2–4 cm, staminate flowers 10–30, pistillate flowers 3–6.

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

staminate 1–5 mm, pistillate 2–5 mm.

staminate 1.7–3 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm.
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 densely tomentose;

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

stamens 10–16.
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, 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

6 × 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

4–5 × 3–4 mm, shiny.

4.5–7 × 3–4 mm, dull.
2n

= 20.

Croton soliman

Croton incanus
Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Mar–Nov.
Habitat Thickets, low ridges. Calcareous loams, xeric rocky limestone slopes and canyons.
Elevation 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.) 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; e Mexico; s Mexico
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; n Mexico; c Mexico
[BONAP county map]
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 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. 223. 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. sancti-lazari, C. setigerus, 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. suaveolens var. oblongifolius, C. torreyanus
Name authority Chamisso & Schlechtendal: Linnaea 6: 361. (1831) Kunth: in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 2(fol.): 58; 2(qto.): 73. (1817)
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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