As you probably noticed I accidently hit the publish button and did part 2 first (yesterday). So this will be out of order. Sorry about that.
On the Pollinator Ranch I finally have gotten around to looking at the Crotons. What can I say, I had other things to do. LOL. Additionally I mainly have just ignored them. 🤷🏻♀️What surprised me when I really started to look was that we have four species of Crotons! Bet you can guess what this post will be about.
Starting with Croton glandulosus var lindheimeri. It has several monikers it goes by which includes Tooth-leaved Croton, Sand Croton, and Lindheimer’s Tropic Croton. iNaturalist prefers the latter. However I like Tooth-leaved Croton. 🙂
First thing to note are the toothed leaves unlike any other Croton in FNCT.
A look at the back side of a leaf. There are two varieties of this species.
Did you happen to notice the glands at the base of the leaves? On this variety the glands are on a pedestal. The other one, Croton glandulosus var septentrionalis, the glands are sessile. Furthermore a loupe is definitely required!
Next up, the Woolly Croton (Croton lindheimeri). iNat calls this Lindheimer’s Doveweed but wildflower.org lists Lindheimer’s Hogwort, Woolly Texas Goatweed, and Woolly Doveweed. The old name Croton capitatus var lindheimeri is the name you will find in FNCT.
While cordate (heart-shaped) leaves are important feature sometimes the leaves are not strongly cordate, but instead will be round at the base of the leaf at the petiole.
Definitely woolly!
The three styles are two times bifid (deeply notched). Lots of divisions! And of course like the common name implied very woolly!
Here I scaped off the wooly hairs off the capsule.
Three seeds inside the capsule! However please note that multiple species of the Crotons have three seeds.
Hope this helps for these two species. I know the research helped me.
Two more species to come! But don’t hold your breath. It will be at least 24 hours or more before you get them. 😉
Tomorrow’s post will recap all four of the species plus a less common Croton found in North Texas.
I’m going to enjoy taking these notes and the next ones on the capsules & leaves and look at my 3 species here. But may have to wait for next year. They are all dried up from the returned drought. One of them on my list is Croton capitatus. Was that renamed to something else? iNat called it Hogwort for a common name.
iNat calls Croton capitatus var. lindheimeri as Croton lindheimeri Lindheimer’s Doveweed. I just still think of it as Woolly Croton or Doveweed. Good thing for scientific names, eh!
The back side of that croton sure is intricate looking. Lovely.
Agreed!😀
Wow so fuzzy!
I’m going to enjoy taking these notes and the next ones on the capsules & leaves and look at my 3 species here. But may have to wait for next year. They are all dried up from the returned drought. One of them on my list is Croton capitatus. Was that renamed to something else? iNat called it Hogwort for a common name.
iNat calls Croton capitatus var. lindheimeri as Croton lindheimeri Lindheimer’s Doveweed. I just still think of it as Woolly Croton or Doveweed. Good thing for scientific names, eh!