Texas croton

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Texas croton

Texas croton

Texas croton pistillate flowers

Texas croton habit

Texas croton

Texas croton staminate

Texas croton

Texas croton

Texas croton staminate

Texas croton fruit

Texas croton fruit

Texas croton pistillate

Texas croton staminate flowers

Morphology

Stem

Erect, often with whorl of branches above mid-point, densely woolly with star-shaped hairs.

Leaves

Alternate, simple, variable, oblong-linear to narrowly ovate-oblong, .4 to 3.2 inches long, .2 to .6 inch wide, green to yellowish-green, densely hairy with star-shaped hairs, undersurface more so, usually paler than upper surface; margins entire; base rounded to blunt; tip rounded or pointed; stalks .2 to 1 inch long.

Inflorescence

Raceme, short, dense, 2/5 to 4/5 inch long, terminal on branches, appearing as dense clusters.

Flower

Dioecious (staminate and pistillate flowers on separate plants); staminate plants with numerous flowers; calyx 5-lobed, 1/12 to 1/6 inch across; lobes triangular pointed, united at base; stamens 5-20; petals absent; pistillate plants fewer-flowered, more stout; calyx 1/10 to 1/6 inch across, 5-lobed; lobes triangular, united at base, woolly pubescent, tips pointed; petals absent; styles 3, each divided nearly to base into 4 or more branches.

Fruit

Capsule, nearly spherical, 1/6 to 1/4 inch long and wide, densely covered with woolly star-shaped hairs, often warty, 3-seeded; seeds oblong-ovate, 1/8 to 1/6 inch long, smooth, brown.

Ecology

Habitat

Sand hills and prairies; sandy soils.

Distribution

Principally in west 2/3, but scattered throughout

Reproduction

By seeds

Practical Information

Toxicity

Toxic to cattle, but generally not consumed. Occasionally consumed in contaminated hay. Symptoms include digestive tract irritation and diarrhea.

Forage Value

Seeds consumed by wild doves and other birds. Thus, the common name "doveweed".

Uses

Native Americans applied crushed seed powder to sores, steeped the leaves and took the liquid to treat venereal disease, stomach pain, and as a laxative. A liquid made by boiling the plant was used to bath sick infants and as an eyewash. Seeds were placed in the ears in the belief that they would help the partially deaf hear better.