Elliott'S Croton

Description

Herbs, annual, 3-8 dm, monoecious. Stems usually single from base, then well branched from first reproductive node, appressed stellate-hairy. Leaves sometimes clustered near inflorescences; stipules absent; petiole 0.5-2 cm, glands absent at apex; blade lanceolate to oblong, 2-5.5 - 0.2-0.8 cm, base rounded, margins entire, apex subacute, abaxial surface pale green, not appearing brown-dotted, no stellate hairs with brown centers, densely long stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, less densely short stellate-hairy. Inflorescences bisexual, congested racemes, 0.8-1.5 cm, staminate flowers 5-15, pistillate flowers 3-6. Pedicels: staminate 0.4-0.9 mm, pistillate 0-0.8 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals 5, 0.8-1 mm, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 5, linear-oblong to lanceolate, 0.8-1 mm, abaxial surface glabrous; stamens 7-10. Pistillate flowers: sepals 6-7, equal, 5-6 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 2-3 mm, 2 times 2-fid, terminal segments 12. Capsules 4-5 mm diam., smooth; columella slightly 3-winged distally. Seeds 4-4.5 - 3-4 mm, shiny. Flowering Jul-Sep. Depression ponds, depression meadows, clay-based Carolina bays, usually on exposed pond edges or bottoms; 0-100 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., S.C. Croton elliottii is most closely related to C. capitatus.