Flora of North America species comparison

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Croton suaveolens

Croton argenteus

scented croton

silver July croton
Habit Shrubs, 2–5 dm, monoecious. Herbs, annual, 2–12 dm, monoecious.
Stems

dichotomously much branched proximally, coarsely stellate-tomentose.

branching once into 2–3 branches, tomentose.
Leaves

often clustered near inflorescences;

stipules each 5–10 glandular papillae, 0.2–0.5 mm;

petiole 0.5–1.5 cm, 1/4 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade obovate or ovate to broadly elliptic, 2–5.4 × 1–3.6 cm, base obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial surface pale green to cream, adaxial surface darker green, both densely stellate-hairy.

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 or staminate, racemes, 1–3 cm, staminate flowers 6–10, pistillate flowers 1–3.

bisexual, congested racemes, 1–4 cm, staminate flowers 4–10, pistillate flowers 3–6.
Pedicels

staminate 3–5 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm.

staminate 2–3 mm, pistillate 1–4 mm (3–5 mm in fruit).
Staminate flowers

sepals 5, 2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals 5, spatulate or obovate, 0.4–0.6 mm, abaxial surface densely villous at base and along margins, otherwise glabrous;

stamens 12–16.

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, equal, 2.5 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy;

petals glandular papillae;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 4–6 mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 6.

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

7–10 × 6–8 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

5 × 7 mm, smooth;

columella 3-angled.
Seeds

5.5–7 × 4–5 mm, shiny.

3.2–3.8 × 2.4–3 mm, dull.

Croton suaveolens

Croton argenteus
Phenology Flowering Apr–Nov. Flowering Jun–Dec.
Habitat Rocky slopes, foothills. Disturbed sites, waste areas, levees.
Elevation 1500–2000 m. (4900–6600 ft.) 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo León)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; e Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Croton suaveolens is found in the flora area only in trans-Pecos Texas.

(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. 224. FNA vol. 12, p. 211.
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. sonorae, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
C. alabamensis, 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. sonorae, C. suaveolens, C. texensis, C. wigginsii
Synonyms family euphorbiaceae Julocroton argenteus
Name authority Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 1004. (1753) — (as argenteum)
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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