What is "critonia"

Critonia is a genus of flowering plant in the subtribe Eupatorieae of the sunflower family.

The most notable trait that characterizes the genus is the presence of pellucid punctations caused by internal secretory pockets of the leaves - to be seen these must be viewed with a hand lens while holding the leaf up to light in most species of the genus. Most species of Critonia also have smooth opposite leaves, a shrubby habit, unenlarged style bases, relatively few (3-5) flowers per head, and imbricate involucres.

The genus is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and the West Indies.

The gens Critonia was a plebeian family at Rome. It is known chiefly from a single individual, Lucius Critonius, who was one of the first aediles cerealis after the institution of that office by Caesar in 44 BC. Critonius had belonged to Caesar's party, but objected to having to pay in order to honour his memory during the Cerealia following Caesar's murder.