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doveweed, goatweed, skunkweed, Texas croton

scented croton

Habit Herbs, annual, 2–7(–9) dm, dioecious. Shrubs, 2–5 dm, monoecious.
Stems

loosely branched distally, stellate-hairy.

dichotomously much branched proximally, coarsely stellate-tomentose.

Leaves

not clustered;

stipules absent;

petiole 0.3–2 cm, glands absent at apex;

blade narrowly ovate-oblong to linear-lanceolate, 1–5 × 0.5–2 cm, base truncate to rounded or subcordate, margins entire, apex rounded to acute, abaxial surface pale green, densely whitish appressed stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, less hairy.

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.

Inflorescences

unisexual;

staminate racemes or irregularly branched panicles, 2–8 cm, flowers 10–30;

pistillate racemes, 1–2 cm, flowers 1–6.

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

Pedicels

staminate 2–3 mm, pistillate 1–3 mm.

staminate 3–5 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm.

Staminate flowers

sepals 5, 1–2 mm, abaxial surface densely whitish appressed stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

stamens 8–12.

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.

Pistillate flowers

sepals 5, equal, 1–1.5 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface densely stipitate-stellate-hairy;

petals 0;

ovary 3-locular;

styles 3, 1–2 mm, multifid, terminal segments 12–32+.

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.

Capsules

5–8 × 4–5.5 mm, verrucose;

columella 3-winged.

7–10 × 6–8 mm, smooth;

columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes.

Seeds

3.5–4 × 2.5–3 mm, shiny.

5.5–7 × 4–5 mm, shiny.

2n

= 28.

Croton texensis

Croton suaveolens

Phenology Flowering Jun–Nov. Flowering Apr–Nov.
Habitat Prairies, sandy creek beds, old fields, canyons, disturbed areas. Rocky slopes, foothills.
Elevation 50–2000 m. (200–6600 ft.) 1500–2000 m. (4900–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AZ; CO; DE; FL; IA; IL; KS; MD; MO; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; UT; WI; WV; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo León)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Croton texensis, despite being annual, grows larger than the related perennial C. dioicus. Croton texensis has verrucose fruits similar to those of the closely related C. parksii.

There is a single specimen of Croton texensis from Massachusetts, collected at a dump in Boston in 1890, but the species did not become established there.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

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. 224.
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. suaveolens, 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. 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
Synonyms Hendecandra texensis, C. luteovirens, C. texensis var. utahensis, C. virens
Name authority (Klotzsch) Müller Arg.: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 15(2): 692. (1866) Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 194. (1859)
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