Croton tricolor Klotzsch ex Baillon (1864: 291)

Pereira, Amanda Da Paixão Noronha, Riina, Ricarda & Caruzo, Maria Beatriz Rossi, 2022, Croton (Euphorbiaceae) of the Brazilian state of Paraná: an annotated checklist, species distribution, and identification key, Phytotaxa 570 (3), pp. 231-274 : 261

36. Croton tricolor Klotzsch ex Baillon (1864: 291) .

Lectotype (designated by Gomes et al. 2010, second step designated by van Ee et al. 2011): — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: 1816, A. St. Hilaire cat C1 92 ( P 00634797 [sic], it should be P 00634794!); isolectotypes P 00634795!, F 0077753F!) . Remaining syntypes: — BRAZIL., Minas Gerais: “Brasilia meridionalis prope Facienda do Funil”, s.d., F. Sellow 2077 (A 00303791!, B 100086878!, P 00634796!); s.d., F. Sellow 2114 (B n.v., F F0 BN005189 !). Bahia, “secus Rio Francisco”, 1838, J.S. Blanchet 2835 (F n.v., G n.v., P 00634797!, P 00634797!). ( Fig. 19 , A–D)

Croton tricolor can be recognized by its shrubby habit, branches and leaves covered by subentire lepidote trichomes, pistillate flowers with reduplicate-valvate aestivation, and multifid styles. Collections of C. longicarpus have been misidentified as C. tricolor , probably due to the subentire lepidote trichomes that confer a silvery color even after the herborization process, and the lack of acropetiolar glands. However, these species are morphologically distinct, as they belong to different sections of Croton (see comments in C. longicarpus ). The specimen P 00634797 (collected by Blanchet) was erroneously cited by van Ee et al. (2011) as a lectotype. Croton tricolor belongs to section Lasiogyne .

Distribution and habitat:— It occurs in Bolivia, Brazil (AL, BA, CE, MA, MG, PA, PE, PI, PR, RN SP, SE), Colombia, French Guiana, and Venezuela ( Caruzo & Cordeiro 2007, Caruzo et al. 2020, WCSP 2022). Shrubs from Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, near rivers, and in fluvial islands (northwestern Paraná state), between 240 and 330 m elevation ( Fig. 18 ).

Phenology:— Flowering from October to February, and fruiting from January and February.

Representative specimens:— PARANÁ: Porto Rico, Rio Paraná , 16 February 1995, M. C . Souza-Stevoux 1364 ( HUEM). Querência do Norte, RPPN Santa Mariana , 22°55’34”S, 53°27’15”W, 19 January 2011, G. O . Landgraf 122 ( HUEM). São Pedro do Paraná, Porto de Areia Cristo Rei, 05 October 2006, S. R . Slusarski , K. K . Kita , M. A . Pagotto , T. S . Michelan & S . Rodrigues 114 ( CNUP, HUEM). Idem, Rio Paraná, 29 November 2012, L. M . Garcia, G.S. Rosa & C.E.B. Fernandes 827 ( HUEM). Vila Alta, APA da Ilha Grande , 15 December 1995, S. R . Ziller 1142 ( HFC, MBM) .

Figures

FIGURE 18. Map showing the known geographic distributions of Croton splendidus, C. subvillosus, C. thermarum, and C. tricolor in Paraná state.

FIGURE 19. Croton tricolor. A. Branches and inflorescence. B. Stipules. C. Leaves. D. Pistillate flowers. C. triqueter. E. Branches. F. Stipules. G. Pistillate flower. C. urucurana. H. Habit. I. Cordate leaf. J. Staminate flowers and capsules, the lower cymules bisexual. C. vulnerarius. K. Leaf base with arrow pointing to stipitate nectary glands. L. Staminate flower. M. Pistillate flower. N. Young muricate capsules. Photos:A–D: M.B.R. Caruzo, E–N:A.P.N. Pereira.