Bush croton, encinilla, hierba loca Bush croton, encinilla, hierba loca

Shrubs, 2–10 dm, monoecious. Stems much branched distally, stellate-hairy. Leaves not clustered; stipules rudimentary or absent; petiole 0.4–1(–1.5) cm, 1/8–1/5 blade length, glands absent at apex; blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2–8 × 2–4 cm, base truncate to cordate, margins serrulate, often slightly undulate, apex attenuate, acute, abaxial surface pale green, stellate-hairy, adaxial surface darker green, puberulent. Inflorescences bisexual, racemes, 3–12 cm, staminate flowers 10–20, pistillate flowers 2–5. Pedicels: staminate 2.5–4 mm, pistillate 0–0.5 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals 5, 0.8–1.2 mm, abaxial surface stellate-tomentose; petals 5, oblanceolate to spatulate, 2 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except margins densely fimbrillate-villous; stamens 9–16. Pistillate flowers: sepals 5, equal, 2.2 mm, margins entire, apex incurved, abaxial surface stellate-hairy; petals 0; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 3–4.5 mm, 2-fid to base, terminal segments 6. Capsules 5–6 mm diam., smooth; columella apex with 3 rounded, inflated lobes. Seeds 4–5 × 3.2–3.8 mm, shiny.

Flowering May–Dec. Limestone or basalt hills; 100–1700 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas).

Croton fruticulosus is known in the flora area from southeastern Arizona through southern New Mexico and trans-Pecos Texas to the Edwards Plateau.