Tetrazygia eleagnoides (Sw.) DC.
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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
Melastomataceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Shrub or small tree, 3-10 m tall; bark light gray, thick, rough, separating into narrow flakes; stems nearly 4-angled, densely covered with rusty-brown, stellate-peltate scales when young, becoming glabrous. Leaf blades 6-14.2 x 1-3.5 cm, elliptic to lanceolate, subcoriaceous, with 3 subparallel veins from near the base, lower surface densely covered with grayish white, stellatepeltate hairs, the apex acute or obtuse, mucronulate, the base obtuse to nearly rounded, the margins entire; petioles 5-15 mm long, stellate-pubescent. Rowers in lateral cymes, along terminal, panicle-like inflorescences; bracts minute. Calyx urn-shaped, 5-6 mm long, sparsely covered by stellate-peltate hairs, greenish; petals white, obovate, clawed, 12-14 mm long; stamens 8, glabrous, yellow; style white, glabrous, curved, the stigma punctiform. Berry turning from green to purple, depressed-globose, 4- lobed, 8-10 mm diam.
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Discussion
Common name: kre kre.
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Distribution
Common in moist and dry evergreen forests. Susannaberg (A3809), trail to Genti Bay (GTP29289). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas and Virgin Gorda; Hispaniola and Puerto Rico (including Vieques).
Puerto Rico South America| Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South 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|