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Lytle, Melody

Croton monanthogynus

Croton monanthogynus Michx.

Prairie Tea, One-seed Croton, Doveweed, Dove Weed, Prairie Goatweed

Euphorbiaceae (Spurge Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: crmo6

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

From the Image Gallery

26 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Root Type: Tap
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Margin: Entire
Breeding System: Monoecious
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Flower: Sepals 4-5 on staminate flowers

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NE , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Native Habitat: Dry prairie or limestone throughout Texas except for western Panhandle.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Calcareous.
Conditions Comments: Flower inconspicious and obscure; plant likes rocky limestone areas.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Seeds are important dove and quail food.
Use Food: A very mild tea can be made by steeping the leaves, hence the common name, Prairie Tea.
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Anaea andria, Goatweed Leafwing
Deer Resistant: High

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Goatweed leafwing
(Anaea andria)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Naval Air Station Kingsville - Kingsville, TX
Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge, c/o Wimberley Birding Society - Wimberley, TX
Jacob's Well Natural Area - Wimberley, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0971 Collected Oct 10, 1994 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 1063 Collected Jun 22, 1995 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
NPSOT 0265 Collected Aug. 23, 1992 in Comal County by Mary Beth White
NPSOT 0678 Collected Jul 18, 1992 in Bandera County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 0337 Collected May 25, 1987 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 1084 Collected Aug 31, 1996 in Bexar County by Robert N. Nelson

6 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-48 Collected 2006-11-08 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Bibliography

Bibref 293 - Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas (1979) Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Croton monanthogynus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Croton monanthogynus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Croton monanthogynus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-03
Research By: NPC

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