Croton californicus

Müller Arg.

in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 15(2): 691. 1866.

Common names: California croton
Basionym: Hendecandra procumbens Eschscholtz Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Pétersbourg Hist. Acad. 10: 287. 1826
Synonyms: C. californicus var. longipes (M. E. Jones) A. M. Ferguson C. californicus var. mohavensis A. M. Ferguson C. californicus var. tenuis (S. Watson) A. M. Ferguson C. longipes M. E. Jones C. mohavensis (A. M. Ferguson) Tidestrom C. tenuis S. Watson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 211. Mentioned on page 208, 209, 224.

Subshrubs or shrubs, 4–11 dm, dioecious. Stems loosely branched, stellate-lepidote. Leaves 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 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 1–5.5(–7) mm, pistillate to 1 mm (1–3 mm in fruit). Staminate flowers: sepals 5, 1 mm, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote; petals 0; stamens 10–15. Pistillate flowers: 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 6–8 × 5–7 mm, smooth; columella 3-winged. Seeds 4–5.5 × 3.5–5.5 mm, dull. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering Feb–Oct.
Habitat: Sandy soils, sage scrub, dunes, washes.
Elevation: 0–900 m.

Distribution

V12 308-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah, Mexico (Baja California, Sinaloa).

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Croton californicus"
Benjamin W. van Ee +  and Paul E. Berry +
Müller Arg. +
Hendecandra procumbens +
California croton +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Nev. +, Utah +, Mexico (Baja California +  and Sinaloa). +
0–900 m. +
Sandy soils, sage scrub, dunes, washes. +
Flowering Feb–Oct. +
in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. +
C. californicus var. longipes +, C. californicus var. mohavensis +, C. californicus var. tenuis +, C. longipes +, C. mohavensis +  and C. tenuis +
Croton californicus +
species +