Croton urticifolius Lamarck (1786: 213)

Burilli, Nicolas Giovanny, Pereira, Amanda Da Paixão Noronha & Caruzo, Maria Beatriz Rossi, 2025, Synopsis of Croton section Barhamia subsection Barhamia (Euphorbiaceae), Phytotaxa 705 (2), pp. 162-172 : 168-169

14. Croton urticifolius Lamarck (1786: 213) .— Oxydectes urticifolia (Lamarck) Kuntze (1891: 613) . ≡ Barhamia urticifolia (Lamarck) Klotzsch (1853: 104) . ≡ Croton urticifolius var. genuinus Müller Argoviensis (1873: 204) , nom. inval. Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro, “Montagne des Capac”, July 1767, P. Commerson s.n. (lectotype designated here P-HIS 00222697!; isolectotypes, A 00277234!, MPU 091713!, P 00222698).

Croton multispicatus Vellozo (1831 : pl. 75).— Barhamia multispicata (Vellozo) Klotzsch (1853: 104) . Type:— J.M. de Conceição Vellozo, Flora Fluminensis , t. 75 “monaee. monad. Croton multispicatum ” 1831 (lectotype designated by van Ee 2011). Epitype (designated by van Ee 2011):— BRAZIL. No locality, 1838, C.F.P. von Martius Herb. Fl. Bras. 162 (K 000254357!; isoepitypes, G-DC 00312499!, GH 47357!, L 2212203!, M 0242026!, MO 2942435!).

Calypteriopetalon brasiliensis Hasskarl (1857: 531) . Type:— BRAZIL. “sua sponte e solo brasiensi in hort. bot. bogoriense enata species et nunc aberrima ibi florens et fructificans”, s.dat., s.coll. s.n. (holotype, U 1256082!).

Ocalia lantanifolia Didrichsen (1857: 139) . Type:— BRAZIL. s.dat., N.T. Lund s.n. (lectotype designated here C 10025593!; isolectotype, C 10025594!).

Croton bahiensis Müller Argoviensis (1865: 127) .— Oxydectes bahiensis (Müll. Arg.) Kuntze (1891: 611) ≡ Croton urticifolius var. bahiensis (Müll. Arg.) Müller Argoviensis (1873: 204) . Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia, 1832, J.S. Blanchet 363 (lectotype designated here G-DC 00312510!). Remaining syntype:— BRAZIL. Bahia: “Cachoeira Pcia Bahiensis”, 1857, G. Casaretto 2073 (G-DC 00312509!).

Croton urticifolius var. intermedius Müller Argoviensis (1873: 204) . Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: “siccis montosis ad Cachoeira”, s.dat., C.F.P. von Martius Obs. 2193 (holotype, M 089085!).

Croton urticifolius var. stipularis Müller Argoviensis (1873: 204) . Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Uberaba, s.dat., A.F. Regnell 1081 (holotype, S 07-12768!; isotypes, BR 008801104!, BR 008805003 !).

Croton urticifolius var. accedens Müller Argoviensis (1873: 204) . Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Feira de Santana, February 1819, C.F.P. von Martius s.n. (lectotype designated here M 0089087!). Remaining syntype:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: “In pascuis siccis collium prope Sebastianapolin”, s.dat., C.F.P. von Martius s.n. (M 0089088!).

Croton klaenzei Müller Argoviensis (1873: 202) .— Oxydectes klaenzei (Müll. Arg.) Kuntze (1891: 613) . Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: “inter Fazenda de Baretto et Barra do Furado”, September 1815, H.W. Klaenze 32 (holotype, BR 0000008760227!). Syn. nov.

Croton urticifolius is a shrubby species. It occurs in Brazil and Bolivia. In Brazil, it is found in northeastern (Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Piauí, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe) and southeastern (Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro), in Atlantic Forest, Caatinga and Cerrado domains. It grows from 50 to 1250 m elevation, in sandy or rocky soils.

Notes:— We select a lectotype with characteristics that better represent the species; the specimen P 00222697 presents grayish branches, the leaf architecture is evident, with pubescent trichomes on both surfaces of the leaves; pistillate flowers display spatulate sepals, and the capsules are globose, with indumentum pubescent to tomentose.

Ocalia lantanifolia was originally described by Didrichsen based exclusively on a specimen collected by Lund in Brazil. However, correspondence with the Herbarium C revealed the existence of two syntypes attributed to Lund’s collection from Brazil. To promote taxonomic stability, we designated specimen (C 10025593) as the lectotype, as it bears Didrichsen’s annotations and original illustrations.

When Croton bahiensis was first described, Müller Argoviensis cited two specimens in the protologue for the state of Bahia: G. Casaretto 2073 (G-DC 00312509) and J.S. Blanchet 363 (G-DC 00312510). Since it is necessary to designate a lectotype, we preferred to select the specimen with the most precisely description of the locality, stored in G-DC herbarium (G-DC 00312509).

Müller Argoviensis cited two localities in the protologue for Croton urticifolius var. accedens : “Habitat in prov. Bahia, ad Feira de S. Anna: Martius” (M 0089088) and “et in pascuis siccis collium prope Rio de Janeiro: Martius” (M 0089087). To designate a lectotype, we prefer to choose the specimen with Müller Argoviensis’s handwriting.

Finally, by checking the prologue and type material cited for Croton klaenzei , and comparing it with that of C. urticifolius , we concluded that both taxa should be considered the same entity due to their extremely similar morphological characteristics, such as branches grayish with indumentum pubescent; leaf blade ovate, apex acuminate, base cordate, margin serrate, pubescent on both surfaces and discolorous. In addition, both species has the same geographical distribution, occurring in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.

Representative specimens:— BRASIL. Rio de Janeiro: Próximo Recreio dos Bandeirantes , 22 December 1964, W. Hoehne 5938 (IAC, NY 03791812!, SP 0119419!, SPF 00017356!, UEC 147747!).