Croton ichthygaster Smith & Downs (1959: 150)

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 : 249

19. Croton ichthygaster Smith & Downs (1959: 150) .

Type:— BRAZIL. Santa Catarina: between the municipalities of Caçador and Joaçaba , 6 February 1957, L.B. Smith & R. Klein 10937 (holotype US 00109585 !; isotypes K 000574189!, NY 00262911!, R 000200947!, UC 1079902!). ( Fig. 11 , F–J)

Croton ichthygaster is a rare shrub, recently rediscovered by Pereira et al. (2017a). It can be recognized by its orange latex, glabrescent to glabrous leaves adaxial surface, and sessile basilaminar glands (sometimes absent in a few leaves of the same specimen). It belongs to sect. Adenophylli subsect. Meridionalis van Ee & Berry (2021: 331) ( van Ee & Berry 2021).

Distribution and habitat:— It occurs in southern (PR, SC) Brazil, growing in open vegetation, riversides, especially in ‘campos de Palmas’ from southern Brazil, ( Smith et al. 1988, Pereira et al. 2017a), probably between 900 and 1250 m elevation ( Fig. 10 ).

Phenology:— Flowering from February, October and November, and fruiting from November and February.

Representative specimens:— PARANÁ: General Carneiro , Lajeado River, 12 February 1966, G . Hatschbach , J . Lindeman & H . Haas 13750 ( MBM, US); 18 October 1966, G . Hatschbach 14976 ( K, MBM, NY, UPCB). SANTA CATARINA : Água Doce , near Chapecó River, 26°42’31.7”S, 51°27’17.6”W, 1244 m, 23 November 2016, A. P. N . Pereira , M. B. R . Caruzo & R . Riina 47 ( SP); A. P. N . Pereira , M. B. R . Caruzo & R . Riina 48 ( SP); M. B. R . Caruzo , A. P. N . Pereira & R . Riina 201 ( SP). Porto União, Matos Costa, 23 February 1962, R . Reitz & R. M . Klein 12363 ( CRI, US) .

Figures

FIGURE 10. Map showing the known geographic distributions of Croton grandivelus, C. heterodoxus, C. ichthygaster, and C. lanatus in Paraná state.

FIGURE 11. Croton heterodoxus. A. Habit. B. Glandular stipules. C. Densely congested inflorescence, with staminate flowers beginning to open. D. Inflorescence with open pistillate flowers. E. Staminate flower at anthesis, visited by beetles. C. ichthygaster. F. Habit. G. Leaves showing a sessile basilaminar nectary glands being visited by antes. H. Inflorescence. I. Pistillate flowers. J. Capsules. C. lanatus. K. Sessile basilaminar nectary glands. L. Pistillate flowers. M. Pistillate flower and capsule; arrow points toa nectary gland associated with a bract. Photos: A.P.N. Pereira.