Salvia, Torrey’s croton, vara blanca Salvia, Torrey’s croton, vara blanca

Croton suaveolens Torrey var. oblongifolius Torrey; C. torreyanus Müller Arg.

Shrubs, 10–20 dm, monoecious. Stems much branched distally, stellate-velutinous. Leaves sometimes clustered near inflorescences; stipules linear-subulate, 2–3 mm; petiole 0.7–1.5 cm, (1/4–)3/8–1/2 leaf blade length, glands absent at apex; blade oblong, ovate-oblong, or elliptic-oblong, 1.5–4(–6) × 1.5–3 cm, base rounded to obtuse, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface whitish, densely stellate-tomentose, adaxial surface darker green, stellate-tomentose. Inflorescences bisexual, racemes, 2–5 cm, staminate flowers 10–25, pistillate flowers 2–4. Pedicels: staminate 1.7–3 mm, pistillate 1–2 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals 5, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface densely tomentose; petals 5, oblanceolate, 1.5–2 mm, abaxial surface villous; stamens 10–16. Pistillate flowers: sepals 5, equal, 1.2–3.5 mm, margins entire, apex straight to slightly incurved, abaxial surface tomentose; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 1.8–3.5 mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 6. Capsules 6–8 × 4–5 mm, smooth; columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes. Seeds 4.5–7 × 3–4 mm, dull. 2n = 20.

Flowering Mar–Nov. Calcareous loams, xeric rocky limestone slopes and canyons; 0–700 m; Tex.; n, c Mexico.

Croton incanus is known in the flora area from the trans-Pecos region to south Texas.