Wild Cherry

Title

Wild Cherry

Authors

Ethan H. Freid

Scientific Name

Crossopetalum rhacoma Crantz

Description

Common Names

Wild Cherry, Poison Cherry

Celestraceae

Habit

Crossopetalum rhacoma grows as a medium size shrub/tree to 8 meters in height (typically much shorter). The trunk is thin (to 10 cm in diameter) with gray bark. The leaves, which are arranged alternately, oppositely or whorled, are linear to lanceolate to obovate in shape, to 5 cm long with an emarginate or apiculate leaf apex and a crenulate or notched margin.

The actinomorphic flowers are arranged in few-flowered panicles in the leaf axils. The calyx has 2 unfused greenish sepals. The corolla has 4 unfused greenish-red petals. There are 4 stamens. The ovary has 4 locules. The flower structure changes over time with the ovary inferior during the early male stage becoming superior during the later female stage. The fruit is a red drupe at maturity.

Crossopetalum rhacoma grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations –Forest/Woodlands/Shrublands/ Dwarf Shrublands as well as Pine Woodlands.

Distribution in Bahamas/Globally

Crossopetalum rhacoma occurs on all island groupings within the Bahamian Archipelago as well as south Florida, the Caribbean region, and Central America to northern South America

Crossopetalum rhacoma is not used medicinally in the Bahamas.