37. Croton trinitatis Millspaugh (1900: 57) . Lectotype (designated by van Ee & Berry 2010):— GUYANA. s.loc., 1838, R.H. Schomburgk 241 (BM 001124405!; isolectotype G 00312806!) . (Illustration available in Sodré et al. 2019: 93)
Croton trinitatis is a widespread American subshrub. It is frequently confused with C. glandulosus and C. lundianus due to their similar habit, trichomes, and leaf shape (see comments under C. glandulosus). The species belongs to sect. Geiseleria subsect. Podostachys .
Distribution and habitat:— It occurs in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela (Riina et al. 2021). In Brazil it is a widespread species (AM, AC,AL, AP, BA, CE, MA, MG, MS, MT, PA, PB, PE, PR, RJ, RO, RR, RS, SE, TO) (Caruzo et al. 2020). It grows in open vegetation (‘campo limpo’), edge of riparian forest, anthropic environments, and in fluvial islands (northwestern Paraná state), between 230 and 250 m elevation (Fig. 18).
Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting from August to December.
Representative specimens:— PARANÁ: Querência do Norte, Porto Brasílio, Ilha Floresta, Trilha Gildo, 22°52’38.4”S, 53°32’36.7”W, 13 August 2005, E. M . Alves, E. R . Lorenzetti, A. A . Silva, H . Carniato & C. A . Neves 10 (HUEM). Idem, Trilha Lagoa do Pateiro, 22°53’27.4”S, 53°33’14.0”W, 13 November 2005 E. M . Alves, E. R . Lorenzetti, A. A . Silva, H . Carniato & C. A . Neves 225 (HUEM). Idem, Ilha Mexirica, Trilha Apiário Negro, 22°53’57.4”S, 53°32’32.5”W, 16 December 2005, E. M . Alves, E. R . Lorenzetti, A. A . Silva, H . Carniato & C. A . Neves 240 (HUEM) .