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scented croton

California croton, desert croton

Habit Shrubs, 2–5 dm, monoecious. Subshrubs or shrubs, 4–11 dm, dioecious.
Stems

dichotomously much branched proximally, coarsely stellate-tomentose.

loosely branched, stellate-lepidote.

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.

not clustered;

stipules absent;

petiole 1–3.5(–4.5) cm, usually less than 1/2 blade length, glands absent at apex;

blade elliptic to narrowly oblong, 2–5.5(–7) × 0.8–2(–2.5) cm, usually more than 2 times as long as wide, base obtuse, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded, abaxial surface light green, adaxial surface darker green, both stellate-lepidote.

Inflorescences

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

unisexual, racemes or thyrses;

staminate 0.5–3.5(–10) cm, flowers 3–8(–20);

pistillate 0.5–1 cm, flowers 1–6.

Pedicels

staminate 3–5 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm.

staminate 1–5.5(–7) mm, pistillate to 1 mm (1–3 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 mm, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote;

petals 0;

stamens 10–15.

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, equal, 2 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 2–2.5 mm, 4-fid, terminal segments usually 12.

Capsules

7–10 × 6–8 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

6–8 × 5–7 mm, smooth;

columella 3-winged.

Seeds

5.5–7 × 4–5 mm, shiny.

4–5.5 × 3.5–5.5 mm, dull.

2n

= 28.

Croton suaveolens

Croton californicus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Nov. Flowering Feb–Oct.
Habitat Rocky slopes, foothills. Sandy soils, sage scrub, dunes, washes.
Elevation 1500–2000 m. (4900–6600 ft.) 0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo León)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Sinaloa)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

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. argenteus, C. argyranthemus, 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 Hendecandra procumbens, C. californicus var. longipes, C. californicus var. mohavensis, C. californicus var. tenuis, C. longipes, C. mohavensis, C. tenuis
Name authority Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859) Müller Arg.: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 15(2): 691. (1866)
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