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:
Erythroxylaceae
Erythroxylaceae
Description:
Species Description - Tree or shrub to 8 m tall, with drooping foliage; bark light brown, much-fissured into small, rectangular plates; short lateral branches glabrous, with overlapping, brown leaf scales. Leaf blades 1.5-3.5 x 0.8-2 cm, obovate to oblanceolate, chartaceous, lines parallel to main vein inconspicuous, lower surface lighter, the apex rounded or slightly notched and mucronulate, the base cuneate to obtuse, the margins entire; petioles slender, 1-2 mm long. Flowers 1-3, axillary, usually on short, leafless branches. Calyx green, cup-shaped, 2.5 mm long, the sepals ovate; petals white, obovate, 2.5-3 mm long, crenate at margins, with a 1 mm long appendage within, at base; stamens white, unequal, the staminal tube 1 mm long; ovary ellipsoid to cylindrical, the styles white, filiform, the stigmas greenish and globose. Drupe ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, 7-8 mm long, turning from green to bright red, becoming sulcate when dry. Seeds 1 per fruit, ellipsoid, ca. 7 mm long.
Species Description - Tree or shrub to 8 m tall, with drooping foliage; bark light brown, much-fissured into small, rectangular plates; short lateral branches glabrous, with overlapping, brown leaf scales. Leaf blades 1.5-3.5 x 0.8-2 cm, obovate to oblanceolate, chartaceous, lines parallel to main vein inconspicuous, lower surface lighter, the apex rounded or slightly notched and mucronulate, the base cuneate to obtuse, the margins entire; petioles slender, 1-2 mm long. Flowers 1-3, axillary, usually on short, leafless branches. Calyx green, cup-shaped, 2.5 mm long, the sepals ovate; petals white, obovate, 2.5-3 mm long, crenate at margins, with a 1 mm long appendage within, at base; stamens white, unequal, the staminal tube 1 mm long; ovary ellipsoid to cylindrical, the styles white, filiform, the stigmas greenish and globose. Drupe ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, 7-8 mm long, turning from green to bright red, becoming sulcate when dry. Seeds 1 per fruit, ellipsoid, ca. 7 mm long.
Discussion:
Common names: brazilette, brizzlet, wild cherry.
Distribution:
Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Puerto Rico South America| West Indies| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| 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|
Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Puerto Rico South America| West Indies| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| 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|