Monographs Details:
Authority:
Acevedo-RodrÃguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
Acevedo-RodrÃguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
Family:
Rubiaceae
Rubiaceae
Description:
Species Description - Shrub 1.5-2 m tall, main stem with numerous lateral, decussate branches, ascending at 45° angles, the lateral secondary branches with numerous short, axillary, opposite branchlets, bearing axillary spines; bark grayish; twigs cylindrical, brownish, scabrous-puberulent. Leaves opposite on main branches but congested on short axillary ones; blades 1—3(—4.5) x 0.6-2.3 cm, obovate to oblanceolate, chartaceous, the apex rounded or obtuse, the base cuneate, the margins entire; petioles ca. 1 mm long; stipules triangular, ca. 2.5 mm long. Flowers 5-merous, sessile or nearly so, clustered at apex of short shoots. Hypanthium 1-1.2 mm long, nearly cylindrical; calyx ca. 2 mm long, cup-shaped, puberulent, the lobes 1- 1.2 mm long, lanceolate or oblong; corolla white, tubular, the tube 3-4 mm long, hirsute within, the lobes 5-7 mm long, oblong, spreading; stamens 5, exserted, the anthers oblong, ca. 2.5 mm long; style stout, bifid at apex. Berry globose to ovoid, 1-1.2 cm long, leathery, turning from green to white (or black when dried), crowned by a persistent calyx. Seeds lenticular, ca. 4 mm long.
Species Description - Shrub 1.5-2 m tall, main stem with numerous lateral, decussate branches, ascending at 45° angles, the lateral secondary branches with numerous short, axillary, opposite branchlets, bearing axillary spines; bark grayish; twigs cylindrical, brownish, scabrous-puberulent. Leaves opposite on main branches but congested on short axillary ones; blades 1—3(—4.5) x 0.6-2.3 cm, obovate to oblanceolate, chartaceous, the apex rounded or obtuse, the base cuneate, the margins entire; petioles ca. 1 mm long; stipules triangular, ca. 2.5 mm long. Flowers 5-merous, sessile or nearly so, clustered at apex of short shoots. Hypanthium 1-1.2 mm long, nearly cylindrical; calyx ca. 2 mm long, cup-shaped, puberulent, the lobes 1- 1.2 mm long, lanceolate or oblong; corolla white, tubular, the tube 3-4 mm long, hirsute within, the lobes 5-7 mm long, oblong, spreading; stamens 5, exserted, the anthers oblong, ca. 2.5 mm long; style stout, bifid at apex. Berry globose to ovoid, 1-1.2 cm long, leathery, turning from green to white (or black when dried), crowned by a persistent calyx. Seeds lenticular, ca. 4 mm long.
Discussion:
Common names: Christmas tree, ink berry.
Distribution:
South America| Central America| West Indies| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Virgin Islands South America|
South America| Central America| West Indies| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Virgin Islands South America|