Casearia nitida (L.) Jacq.
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Authority
Sleumer, Hermann O. 1980. Flacourtiaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 22: 1-499. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Salicaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. No authentic specimen collected by Jacquin in Jamaica known to be extant. Lectotype: P. Browne, Jamaica t. 23, f. 3. 1756, cited by Jacquin; original drawing by Ehret in BM represents Sel. Stirp. Amer. ed. pict. t. 126 (1780) apparently from Cartagena, i e Casearia corymbosa Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth.
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Synonyms
Samyda nitida L., Samyda crenata Poir., Guidonia nitida (Jacq.) M.Gómez, Casearia bahamensis Urb.
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Description
Species Description - Much branched shrub or small tree, 2.0-6.0 m high. Branchlets slender, tips glabrous, brownish-reddish, early covered with gray cork and numerous elongate lenticels below. Leaves semi-deciduous, flush reddish, ovate to ovate-elliptic, rarely oblong-elliptic, apex shortly and bluntly subacuminate, rarely attenuate or obtuse, base generally more or less deeply cordate, or rarely rounded, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, glabrous and shining on both faces, the pellucid dots (no lines !) somewhat raised in young blades, edge subserrate-crenate to subentire, (1.5-)3.0-7.0(-10.0) cm long, (1.0-)2.0-4.5 cm broad, lateral nerves 5-8 pairs, slightly raised on both faces as is the dense fine reticulation of veins and veinlets; petiole 6.0-8.0(-13.0) mm long; stipule ovate to almost rounded, membranaceous, ca 1.0 mm long, caducous. Cymes axillary, (2-)6-12-flowered, glabrous in all outer parts, on peduncle 3.0-10.0 mm long; pedicels slender, 3.0-5.0(-10.0) mm long; bracts minute. Flowers fragrant, yellowish or greenish-white. Sepals oblong-obovate, obtuse, erect, though somewhat reflexed in late anthesis, puberulous within, 4.0-5.0 mm long, 2.0 mm broad. Stamens 8, slightly shorter than the sepals; filaments laxly hairy below; anthers elliptic, dark red, 0.5 mm long. Disk-lobes clavate, laxly hairy distally, light red, of half the length of the filaments. Ovary narrowly ovoid, tapering to the thick style, subglabrous; stigma capitate. Fruit ellipsoid or subglobose, first fleshy and drupaceous, later dehiscent to 3 or 4 valves, 3-4-gonous, pale purplish or yellow when ripe, 1.5-2.0 cm diam; seeds 1-5, ovoid-angular, almost enclosed by the orange irregularly incised aril.
Distribution and Ecology - Cuba, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Hispaniola; in wooded limestone hillside, scrublands and coppices along the coast, often near seashore.
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Distribution
Cuba South America| Piñar del Río Cuba South America| La Habana Cuba South America| Camagüey Cuba South America| Bahamas South America| New Providence Bahamas South America| South Andros Bahamas South America| Exuma Bahamas South America| Cat Island Bahamas South America| Jamaica South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America|