Golden Creeper

Title

Golden Creeper

Authors

Ethan H. Freid

Scientific Name

Ernodea littoralis Sw.

Description

Common Names

Golden Creeper, Beach Creeper, Common Ernodea

Family

Rubiaceae

Habit

Ernodea littoralis grows as a small shrub to 1 meter in height. The leaves are arranged oppositely with no petiole, to 5 cm long, linear to lanceolate with an acute leaf apex and an entire margin.

The flowers arise solitarily from the leaf axils. The calyx has 4 green unfused sepals. The corolla has 4 fused red (occasionally white) petals that form a tube 4-5 times the length of the calyx. There are 4 stamens fused to the mouth of the corolla tube. The ovary is inferior with 2 locules. The fruit is a 1 or 2-seeded drupe/berry that is golden yellow at maturity.

Ernodea littoralis grows in Pine Woodlands, dune systems, human-disturbed areas such as roadsides and abandoned fields. It can also be found in the understory of Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Woodland/Shrublands (coastal coppice) with a sand substrate.

Ernodea littoralis occurs on all island groupings in the Bahamian Archipelago as well as Florida, the Caribbean region, Central America and northern South America.

Ernodea littoralis is not used in the Bahamas medicinally.

Ernodea littoralis is now part of the horticultural industry and is a great hummingbird and butterfly attractor.