Suriana maritima 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
Surianaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Erect shrub to 2 m tall, many-branched from base; bark dark gray, rough; branches ascending, woolly-pubescent, cylindrical, with numerous leaf scars. Leaves congested at ends of branches, sessile, 1.7-3.1 x 0.3-0.5 cm, oblanceolate, slightly fleshy, puberulent, especially along margins, the apex obtuse or acute the base tapered, the margins entire. Flowers 5-merous, a few in short axillary cymes; the peduncle 4-6 mm long, pubescent; pedicels 5-8 mm long, pubescent. Calyx green, deeply parted, the sepals ovate, 8-10 mm long, pubescent; petals yellow, early deciduous, obovate, 5.5-6.5 mm long; stamens 5, alternating with staminodes, shorter than the petals; carpels 5, distinct, obovo pubescent, with a single basal-axial ovule, the styles free, arising from the ventral base of the carpels, the stigma minutely capitate Fruit a stony, indehiscent, obovoid drupelet, ca. 4 mm long turning from green to brown.
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Discussion
Common name: bay cedar.
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Distribution
A common shrub of sandy coasts. Europa Bay (A746), Hart Bay (A809). Also on Anegada, St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Virgin Gorda; throughout coastal tropical and subtropical America, Madagascar, Polynesia, N e w Guinea, and Australia.
Australia Oceania| New Guinea Indonesia Asia| Oceania| Madagascar Africa| 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| Anegada Virgin Islands South America|