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Croton texensis (Euphorbiaceae) is an easily overlooked gray-green annual native to the Great Plains. Although an unassuming little plant, the interesting life history of the plant lends itself to experimentation that may help elucidate the evolution of plant mating systems. Croton is foremost a dioecious annual, with distinct male and female plants. However, around 1 in every 200 plants develops as a hermaphrodite, with both male and female reproductive structures. With both mating systems present in the same population, croton can be studied to illustrate the costs and benefits leading to the maintenance of plant mating systems.
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Female plant |
Male plant |
In the field, male and female (or hermaphroditic) plants can be fairly easily distinguished based on morphology alone. This allows straightforward censusing of the population, allowing us to track the fluctuation of the sex ratio over time.
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Croton texensis, both sexes (male on left) |
One insect herbivore of Croton,
an unidentified weevil, approx. 3 mm
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