Croton wigginsii (Wiggin's croton) ( )

The silvery coloration of the stems and leaves in many dune plants is an adaptation to the excessive solar radiation in desert regions. The leaves of some plants have a dense covering of fine hairs that give them their silvery appearance as well as a velvet-like softness. Other plants have tiny plate-like overlapping silvery scales that cover the leaves. Both these leaf surface forms aid plants in reflecting excess solar energy as well as helping control water loss. Wiggin's croton is a common species on the Algodones Dunes, but highly restricted in distribution. It has a CNPS Rare Plant Rank 2B: rare, threatened, or endangered in California; common elsewhere. "California Desert Plants, Philip W Rundel, Robert J Gustafson, Michael E Kauffmann."