Croton punctatus

Family:EUPHORBIACEAE
Species:Croton punctatus Jacq.
Common Name:Beach Tea; Silverleaf Croton; Gulf Croton
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Beach Tea is a native evergreen shrub in the Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It is native to the coastal counties where it grows on dunes and beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Beach Tea is a low mounding shrub reaching heights of 3 feet. The stems are trichotomously (branching into 3 segments) branched with silvery stellate pubescence. Leaves are petiolate, alternate, elliptic to orbicular in outline, with entire margins. The surface of the leaf is pubescent with stellate trichomes and scales. Fragrant flowers are produced in racemes from the axils of the leaves. The racemes are unisexual or bisexual. Each raceme has 3-7 staminate flowers and 0-3 pistillate flowers. The staminate flowers have sepals that are pubescent with stellate trichomes and scales, no petals, and 10-13 stamens. The pistillate flowers have sepals that are pubescent with stellate trichomes and scales, no petals, and a 3-locular ovary. The fruit is a 3-angled capsule with 3 seed (1 in each segment). Beach Tea is sometimes available from coastal nurseries. It can also be grown from seed or cuttings. Once established it is resistant to bright sunlight, strong winds, sand scouring, high temperatures, low nutrient levels, and salt spray.—A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native
References:**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyEUPHORBIACEAE - Spurge family
Genus Croton
Species Croton punctatus Jacq. - Beach Tea; Silverleaf Croton; Gulf Croton

Citation

Citation Croton punctatus Jacquin, Collectanea 1: 166–168. 1787.
Basionym: **
Type: **

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Croton distinctiflorus Croton distinctiflorus Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 214. 1803. "in maritimus Carolinae",
Croton maritimus Croton maritimus Walter, Fl. Carol. 239. 1788. SOUTH CAROLINA:
Drepadenium maritimum Drepadenium maritimum (Walter) Rafinesque, Sylva Tellur 65. 1838.Croton maritimus Walter 1788. 
Gynamblosis maritima Gynamblosis maritima (Walter) Baillon, Etude Euphorb. 372. 1858.Croton maritimus Walter 1788. 
Hendecandra maritima Hendecandra maritima (Walter) Klotzsch, Arch. Naturgesch. 7(1): 252. 1841.Croton maritimus Walter 1788. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Covington, Mobile

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1949 - 1965

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
UWAL0042975 Baldwin 20 Oct 2000 West, Chan
581
UWAL
Croton punctatus Jacq.
TROY000047553 Mobile 19 Oct 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28561
TROY
Croton punctatus Jacquin
JSU122272 Baldwin 17 May 1974 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.
JSU
Croton punctatus Jacquin
AUA_ACC_46527 Mobile 23 Oct 1982 Kuhns, Michael R.
97
AUA
Croton Punctatus Jacq.
ALNHS00007771 Covington 28 JUL 2022 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#5803
ALNHS
Croton punctatus Jacq.
SAMF0002464 Mobile 23 Sep 1989 Green, LeAnne
33
SAMF
Croton punctatus Jacquin
AUA_ACC_5459 Baldwin 27 Jul 1968 Burttram, A.Kenneth
AUA
Croton Punctatus Jacq.
UNA00021012 Mobile 22 Apr 1950 Crawford, Lloyd C.
961
UNA
Croton punctatus Jacq.
UNA00021011 Baldwin 13 May 1950 Stallard, W.A.
50
UNA
Croton punctatus Jacq.
UWAL0039260 Mobile 19 Oct 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28561
UWAL
Croton punctatus Jacquin
AUA_ACC_13282 Baldwin 6 Aug 1967 Thompson, Olivia C.
AUA
Croton Punctatus Jacq.
JSU122276 Mobile 16 May 1974 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.
JSU
Croton punctatus Jacquin
UWAL0050962 Mobile 22 Apr 1968 Dean, Blanche E.
198
UWAL
Croton punctatus Jacquin
JSU122275 Mobile 16 May 1974 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.
JSU
Croton punctatus Jacquin
AUA_ACC_3244 Baldwin 14 May 1955 Arner, Dale H.
AUA
Croton Punctatus Jacq.
ALNHS00004316 Baldwin 09 Sep 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2514
ALNHS
Croton punctatus Jacq.
AUA_ACC_56415 Mobile 15 Aug 1973 Kral, Robert
51339
AUA
Croton Punctatus Jacq.
ALNHS00004156 Mobile 25 Aug 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2581
ALNHS
Croton punctatus Jacq.
TROY000004673 Mobile 26 May 2002 Spaulding, Daniel D.
11333
TROY
Croton punctatus Jacquin
UWAL0032810 Mobile 02 Oct 2015 Keener, Brian R.
9272
UWAL
Croton punctatus Jacquin
AUA_ACC_56254 Baldwin 14 Aug 1973 Kral, Robert
51298
AUA
Croton Punctatus Jacq.
UNA00021008 Baldwin 29 Sep 1949 Harper, Roland M.
4158
UNA
Croton punctatus Jacq.
UNA00067983 Baldwin 24 Oct 2007 Steakley, Cherie Bryant
1373
UNA
Croton punctatus Jacq.
UNA00021013 Mobile 15 Jul 1965 Deramus, Rebecca
D613
UNA
Croton punctatus Jacq.
UNA00059076 Mobile 26 May 2002 Spaulding, Daniel D.
11333
UNA
Croton punctatus Jacq.
JSU122274 Mobile 16 May 1974 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.
JSU
Croton punctatus Jacquin
AUA_ACC_5458 Baldwin 27 Jul 1968 Scarsbrook, Ellen
AUA
Croton Punctatus Jacq.
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