Flora of North America species comparison

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Croton sonorae

Croton ciliatoglandulifer

Sonora croton, Sonoran croton

bush croton, Mexican croton
Habit Shrubs, 8–16 dm, monoecious. Shrubs, 2–10 dm, monoecious.
Stems

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

± dichotomously branched, stellate-hairy.
Leaves

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.

not clustered;

stipules glandular-ciliate, 2–3 mm;

petiole 1–3.5 cm, 1/2–7/10+ leaf blade length, stipitate-glandular at apex;

blade ovate, 2–5 × 1–3 cm, base rounded to subcordate, margins entire glandular-ciliate, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface pale green, densely stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, sparsely stellate-hairy.
Inflorescences

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

bisexual, racemes, 1–2.5 cm, staminate flowers 3–10, pistillate flowers 1–8.
Pedicels

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

staminate 0.5–1.5 mm, pistillate 2–3 mm.
Staminate flowers

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.

sepals 5, 3.5–4 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 5, spatulate, 2.5–3 mm, abaxial surface glabrous;

stamens 20–30.
Pistillate flowers

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.

sepals 5, equal, 3–5 mm, margins entire, glandular-ciliate, apex straight, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 4–5 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments 12.
Capsules

7–8 × 5–6 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

4–5 × 5–7 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.
Seeds

6–7 × 3–4 mm, shiny.

4–5.5 × 2.5–3 mm, shiny.
2n

= 20.

Croton sonorae

Croton ciliatoglandulifer
Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep. Flowering Oct–Dec.
Habitat Rocky slopes, desert scrub. Rocky forested slopes, sandy flats.
Elevation 500–1100 m. (1600–3600 ft.) 0–2200 m. (0–7200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; TX; Mexico; West Indies
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Croton ciliatoglandulifer is characterized by the glandular projections on the leaf blade margins, stipules, and pistillate sepals. The species is closely related to C. humilis and C. soliman, which may intergrade with it. Croton ciliatoglandulifer presents an interesting disjunction in the United States from lowland southern Texas (0–150 m elevation) to upland southern Arizona (to 2200 m elevation).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 223. FNA vol. 12, p. 213.
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. soliman, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
C. alabamensis, C. argenteus, C. argyranthemus, C. californicus, C. capitatus, 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. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
Synonyms C. attenuatus, C. pringlei
Name authority Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859) Ortega: Nov. Pl. Descr. Dec., 51. (1797) — (as cilato-glanduliferum)
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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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