Croton californicus is a species of croton known by the common name California croton. This plant is native to California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Baja California, where it grows in the deserts and along the coastline.
| Croton californicus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Staminate flower | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Croton |
| Species: | C. californicus
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| Binomial name | |
| Croton californicus | |
This plant is a perennial or small shrub not exceeding a meter in height. The plant produces long oval-shaped leaves a few centimeters long and covered in a light-colored coat of hairs.
This species is dioecious, with individual plants bearing either male (staminate) or female (pistillate) flowers, both only a few millimeters across. The staminate flowers are tiny cups filled with thready yellowish stamens and the pistillate flowers are the rounded, lobed immature fruits surrounded by tiny pointed sepals.
References
edit- Welsh, et al. A Utah Flora, 3rd ed. (Brigham Young University, 2003), p. 312 ISBN 0-8425-2556-4
External links
edit
- Jepson Manual Treatment — Croton californicus
- USDA Plants Profile: Croton californicus
- Croton californicus Photo gallery
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