Croton

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Wild Weed Gallery

Croton

Unlike many in the Euphorbiaceae family, crotons do not have gland appendages or milky sap. Male and female flower parts are separated on different flowers. The staminate (male) flowers can have 4-6 sepals united at base and as many petals or none. The pistillate (female) flowers can have 5-9 sepals united at or near base and minute petals or none. Crotons are good bird food, especially for dove and quail.

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Woolly Croton (Hogwort, Doveweed) Croton capitatus

Small clusters of tiny white flowers are very hairy, at the end of branches. Male and female flowers grow on separate branches on the same plant (monoecious). Female flowers are tightly clustered. Three sided fruit grows inside a flat topped ball of seven fuzzy bracts. Lanceolate leaves, up to 4" long, have dense white hairs. Hairs on stems is whitish. Plant grows to about 2 feet tall. Single stem from base then widely branching (tree-like). Blooms summer through fall.

Photos taken in Van Zandt County, Texas, November 2006

(Native of east and south Texas)

Similar Species

Woolly Croton Croton capitatus var. lindheimeri

Female flowers are more separated.

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Grassland Croton (Rosval, Hieba del Gato, Rubaldo) Croton dioicus

Flower stalk 1"-2" long. Flower balls are about 1/8" wide. Long leaves are dull green and gray below, wider at the tip. Stem is white. Plant shown 1-3 feet tall.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2004, April 2005

(Native of Texas)

Second Specimen

Female

Male

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Grassland Croton (Rosval, Hieba del Gato, Rubaldo) Croton dioicus

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native of Texas)

Plant: Herbaceous, about 12"-18" tall. Sexes are on different plants (dioecious). Plant has a dusty scent. The entire plant is covered in tiny hairs that radiate from brown dots and overlap tightly to obscure the surface (densely stellate pubescent). This coating looks solid, bubbly not fuzzy.

Leaves: Silvery gray-green, lighter on bottom, folded, 1/2"-1" long, variable width.

Female plant: Flowers grow on short peduncles at end of branches, about 3/16" wide. The are greenish to pale yellow turning brownish-red if it gets wet. Inside surface of "petals" (sepals) are fuzzy.

Fruit: 1/4" wide, has three main sections, each having two sections that can split apart like an orange. If the fruit is not pollinated, it grows into a winged structure atop a pedestal.

Male plant: has flower stems at top of branches that lengthens, 3" long, as new buds grow. At the tip is a pyramid cluster of flower buds, youngest at top, blooms at bottom. Ten stamen, five outer, five inner. Flower about 1/16" wide.

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Tropic Croton (Northern Croton, Vente Conmigo) Croton glandulosus var. septentrionalis

Flower about 1/4" wide in clusters of about 5/8" wide. Long, thick leaves with prominent teeth and center vein. Plant 6"-20" tall.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, June 2004, August 2005

(Native of Texas)

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Three-seed Croton Croton lindheimerianus

Prominent flower about 1/4" wide in clusters of about 1" wide. Long, grayish hairy leaves. Fruit is about 1/4" round. Plant 4"-8" tall.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2004

(Native of Texas)

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Prairie Tea (One-seed Croton) Croton monanthogynus

Flower ball looks prickly, 1/2" wide. Oblong leaves are about 1" long, gray underneath. Tan to red-brown stems. Sprawling plant about 12" wide.

Two stigmas are 2-parted. Male flowers with only about 5 stamens.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2004

(Native of Texas)

Atypical Specimen

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Prairie Tea (One-seed Croton) Croton monanthogynus

This plant does not have the typical brown-dotted leaves.

Flower cluster is about 1" wide. Male and female flowers are in the same clusters. Leaves are 1"-2" long, green on top and gray below. Stem is white. Plant shown 12"-18" tall.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, July 2005

(Native of Texas)

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Leather-weed Croton Croton pottsii

Flower ball about 3/4" wide. Flower is somewhat yellow. Long leaves are gray/green. Pods are about 1/4" wide Plant is somewhat sprawling, and possibly 12" wide.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, August 2004

(Native of Texas)

Possibly the same

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

probably Leather-weed Croton Croton pottsii

Loose flower stalk about 1" wide. Long leaves are grayish. Plant shown about 10" tall.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2004

(Native of Texas)

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family

Texas Croton Croton texensis

Flower head about 1" wide with divided stigmas. Fruit is scruffy with male and female flowers on separate plants (dioecious). 1 1/2" long thin leaves, hairy (star-like) are green on top and gray below (hairier). Stem is white. Plant shown about 18" tall.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, June 2004

(Native of Texas)

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