Croton punctatus

Jacquin

Collectanea 1: 166. 1787. (as puntatum)

Common names: Beach tea gulf croton hierba de jabalí
Synonyms: Croton disjunctiflorus Michaux C. maritimus Walter C. plukenetii Geiseler
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 222. Mentioned on page 207, 208, 209.

Shrubs, 3–10 dm, monoecious or sometimes appearing dioecious. Stems trichotomously branching, stellate-hairy to stellate-lepidote. Leaves not clustered; stipules absent; petiole 1–4 cm, 1/2 to equal blade length, glands absent at apex; blade broadly elliptic to suborbiculate, 2–5 × 1.5–4 cm, much less than 2 times as long as wide, base rounded to truncate, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded, abaxial surface pale grayish green, stellate-lepidote, adaxial surface slightly darker green, stellate-lepidote. Inflorescences unisexual or bisexual, racemes, 1–4 cm, staminate flowers 3–7, pistillate flowers 1–3. Pedicels: staminate 2–4 mm, pistillate 0–1 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals 5–6, 2.5 mm, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote; petals 0; stamens 10–13. Pistillate flowers: sepals 5, equal, 3–3.5 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-lepidote; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 1–2 mm, multifid, terminal segments 12–24. Capsules 5–8 × 7–9 mm, smooth; columella 3-winged. Seeds 4.5–6 × 3.7–4.5 mm, dull. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering year-round.
Habitat: Beaches, dunes.
Elevation: 0–20 m.

Distribution

V12 13-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex., e Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n South America.

Discussion

A report of Croton punctatus from Pennsylvania apparently was based on a transient appearance on ballast (E. T. Wherry et al. 1979).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Croton punctatus"
Benjamin W. van Ee +  and Paul E. Berry +
Jacquin +
Beach tea +, gulf croton +  and hierba de jabalí +
Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tex. +, e Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and n South America. +
0–20 m. +
Beaches, dunes. +
Flowering year-round. +
Collectanea +
Croton disjunctiflorus +, C. maritimus +  and C. plukenetii +
Croton punctatus +
species +