Authority:

Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

Family:

Urticaceae

Description:

Species Description - Tree to 20 m tall and 35 cm diam.; trunk usually branched only at upper portion; bark grayish and smooth. Leaf blades 25- 40 cm across, leathery, with rounded outline, 7-9 palmately lobed, the upper surface scabrous, the lower surface whitish tomentose, the venation prominent, the base cordate to peltate, the margins wavy; petioles 20-70 cm long, pubescent. Staminate aments numerous, 4-5 x 0.4 cm, with short individual peduncles; pistillate aments 2-6, 5-6 x 0.6-1 cm, sessile; bracts ovate, densely covered with long whitish hairs covering the immature inflorescences; peduncle 4-9 cm long, pubescent. Achene whitish, ca. 2 mm long.

Discussion:

Cecropia antillarum Snethl., Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin- Dahlem 8: 364. 1923.

Cecropia urbaniana Snethl., Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin- Dahlem 8: 366. 1923.

Cecropia sericea Snethl., Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin- Dahlem 8: 368. 1923.

Common names: trumpet tree, trumpet wood.

Note: Many West Indian botanists have referred this species to Cecropia peltata L., a species that is restricted to northern South America, Central America, and Jamaica.

Distribution:

West Indies| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|