Capparis cynophallophora L.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Capparaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Small tree or shrub, to 8 m tall and 10 cm diam.; bark light gray and smooth. Branches flattened, densely covered with rustybrown or golden peltate scales. Leaf blades 5-8 x 1.3-3 cm, leathery, elliptic or oblanceolate, acute or acuminate at apex, attenuate at base, the upper surface glabrous and shiny, the lower surface densely covered with golden-silvery peltate scales, the margins revolute; petioles 0.8-1.5 cm long, densely covered with peltate scales. Flowers fragrant, borne on short axillary cymes, the peduncle and pedicels flattened and rusty-colored; flower buds white, 4-angled; sepals 4, ovate to lanceolate, 0.8-1 cm long, whitish without, light green within; petals obovate, white turning pink with age; filaments white or pink; anthers green or light yellow; gynophore white, the ovary oblong, light green, the stigma bright orange. Fruit leathery, linear-cylindrical, constricted between seeds, 8-15 cm long, surface rusty-brown, orange within, opening along one side; stipe brown, ca. 5.5 cm long, glabrous. Seeds bean-shaped, shiny black, with orange fleshy aril at base.
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Discussion
Capparis jamaicensis Jacq., Enum. Syst. PL 23. 1760.
Common names: black willie, black witty, Jamaican caper, linguam tree
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Distribution
A common tree found in moist or dry coastal forests. East End (A1798, A1821). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; throughout the West Indies, Florida to Central America.
Central America| Florida United States of America North America| Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States 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|