CROTONS OF THE UNITED STATES. 35 
a recent investigator* has constructed an analytical key 
for something like one hundred fifty species, depending 
largely on the pubescence for the distinctive characters. | 
It has been thought advisable to cite only the original 
descriptions and others of special interest, and the more 
common floras of the region covered; and all synonyms 
where determined. Citations in brackets have not been 
verified. With a few exceptions, the many names of Rafin- 
esque have not been cited, because of my inability to state 
beyond serious doubt just what forms he referred to. 
However, I have gone over most of his publications and 
conjecturally determined most of his names, and do not 
think that any of his names could claim priority over the 
ones here recognized. 
Croton Linn. (Gen. Plant. 288. 1737); Sp. Plant. 1004. 
1753. 
Herbs or shrubs; scaly or stellate pubescent; leaves 
alternate, mostly stipulate; monoecious or dioecious. 
Flowers mostly in terminal spike-like racemes: staminate 
flowers with a 5- (rarely 4- to 6-) divided calyx; petals 5, 
when present, alternating with as many glands of the disc, 
stamens 5 or more, with anthers inflexed in the bud; pis- 
tillate flowers with a 3- to 10-parted calyx, the margins of 
the sepals not dissected; petals present, rudimentary or 
obsolete; staminodes rare; ovary 3- (rarely 2- to 4-) 
celled, separating at maturity into as many 2-valved 
1-seeded carpels (in C’. monanthogynus, Michx. the capsules 
become one-seeded by the regular abortion of one of the 
two ovules); seeds carunculate. Found usually on sandy 
soil, or dry rock regions. 
* Froembling, Blatt und Axe der Crotoneen und Euphyllantheen. 
(Bot. Centralbl. 653129 &c.) 1896. 
