Lobed Croton

Description

Monoecious branched, annual herb up to 1 m tall; taproot long; branches densely stellate hairy. Leaves alternate, lobed; stipules small, filiform; petiole up to 10 cm long; blade deeply 3-5-lobed, in outline 2.5-10 cm in diameter, lobes oblanceolate to obovate, basal glands absent, apex acuminate, margins toothed, stellate hairy to almost glabrous on both sides. Inflorescence a slender, axillary or terminal raceme up to 12.5 cm long, with small male flowers in upper half and female flowers in lower half. Flowers unisexual, 5-merous, regular, yellowish green; pedicel short; male flowers with elliptical sepals c. 2 mm long, petals oblanceolate, c. 2 mm long, stamens 10-13, free; female flowers with linear-lanceolate sepals c. 5 mm long, petals represented by a hair c. 1.5 mm long, ovary superior, rounded, densely hairy, 3-celled, styles 3, deeply 2-fid, lobes linear. Fruit an almost globular capsule c. 7 mm in diameter, stellate hairy, green, 3-seeded. Seeds ellipsoid, c. 6 mm - 3 mm, covered with wart-like protuberances. Seedling with epigeal germination.