Spring Flora of Oklahoma 
91 
1. Phyllanthus polygonoides Nutt. Perennial. Stem usually 
diffusely-branched at the base. Branches wire-like. Leaves alter¬ 
nate. Blades oblong or oblong-cuneate, 3"-8" long, entire. Sepals 
white-margined, acute. Capsules spheroidal. Seeds minutely warty. 
In sandy or rocky soil. Spring and fall. 
II. CROTON L. 
Herbs or shrubs, monoecious or rarely dioecious, strong¬ 
ly scented, stellate-pubescent, more or less glandular. 
Leaves mostly alternate, entire, toothed, or lobed. Flow¬ 
ers in axillary terminal clusters. Staminate flowers up¬ 
permost. Sepals 4-6, usually 5. Petals usually present, 
but small or rudimentary, alternating with the gland, 
Stamens 5 or more. Pistillate flowers clustered below the 
staminate. Sepals 5-10. Petals usually wanting. Ovary 
mostly 3-celled. Ovule 1 in each cavity. Styles one, twice 
or many times 2-cleft. Capsule mostly splitting into three 
2-valved carpels. 
Leaves toothed; staminate calyx 4-lobed, pistillate 5- 
lobed. 1. C. glandulosus. 
Leaves entire; staminate calyx 3-5-lobed, pistillate 5-12 
lobed. 2. C. capitatus. 
1. Croton glandulosus L. Glandular Croton. Annual, monoe¬ 
cious, rough with stellate hairs, and somewhat glandular. Stem 
erect 8'-30' high. Leaves oblong, linear-oblong or ovate, %'-3’ long, 
coarsely serrate, bearing two glands, at the base of the blade. Flow¬ 
er clusters terminal or axillary, the staminate in spikes, the pistil¬ 
late at the base of the staminate. Capsule sub-globose about 2%" 
in length. 
In sandy soil. March-December. Cbmmon. 
2. Croton capitatus Michx. Capitate Croton. Annual, mo¬ 
noecious, densely stellate-pubescent. Leaves lanceolate, oblong or 
ovate, entire, obtuse, or cordate at the base. Flower clusters at the 
ends of the branches. The staminate with 5-parted calyx, 5 petals. 
The pistillate flowers with 7-12 sepals, no petals. Capsule depressed- 
globose, 3"-3!4" in diameter. 
In dry soil. May-October. 
III. TRAGIA (Plum.) L. 
Perennial, monoecious herbs, or shrubs, usually armed 
